DATE AND BANANA LOAF

SATISFYING A CRAVING

Our breakfast is always the same - summer berries, banana, beetroot protein smoothie! It is our staple breakfast, however normally on waking, we start the day with our homebrew mug of Italian coffee, which by the way has 40% roasted dandelion root added.

I always add the dandy mainly because it adds a lovely rounded flavour to the coffee and also for the added benefits of liver support and detox. I started drinking this coffee and dandy blend years ago when I found it just too hard to totally give up my love of coffee especially that first mug in the morning, so adding the dandy was my compromise, not a totally naughty coffee but a healthier version of it!

MUST HAVE COFFEE

So it's a mug of coffee first thing on rising and then approximately 90mins later we get stuck into our Berry Smoothie. 

However,  sometimes just sometimes, I think more so in winter, we both need to satisfy a craving for a little extra to go with the coffee. Usually, it will be a simple piece of our toasted homebaked sourdough rye, smothered with unsalted butter and homemade marmalade, the perfect cold morning accompaniment to have with our coffee.

On other occasions, we like to try something just a little bit more special. This is when the amateur baker man (my husband) knocks out a few fruit buns which we slice up and have with unsalted butter, but my favourite has to be when he decides to try something totally different and new and it is really delicious! 

OUT OF THE OVEN - BANANA DELIGHT!

This week just happened to be one of those special treat weeks, making a loaf with very ripe bananas and some dates, and the bonus of no sugar at all in the recipe!

This recipe is from the Tesco magazine September 2018.

INGREDIENTS

4 ripe large bananas
2 medium eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (we added the vanilla to the recipe)
100g dates, chopped
3 tbsp Greek Style Yoghurt
50g desiccated coconut
2 tbsp chia seeds
300g self-raising flour
1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tbsp mixed spice
pinch of salt (we added the salt to the recipe)
2-3 tbsp milk

METHOD

Pre-heat the oven to 180C, or fan 160C. With baking paper, line a 900g (2lb) loaf tin. We used the closest size we had which was a 3lb loaf tin, so our loaf came out longer and not as high. Just means you can have an extra slice!

Fork mash the 3 bananas on a large plate, eliminating all lumps. Add the banana mash into a large mixing bowl. Add the vanilla extract. Remember to add a pinch of salt. Add the eggs to the banana mash, one at a time, and with a whisk mix in well.

Add the chopped dates, yoghurt, coconut and chia seeds and fold until combined.

Sieve in the flour, bicarbonate of soda, mixed spice and gently fold into the batter.

ADD 2-3 tbsp milk to loosen the batter and pour into the lined loaf tin.

SLICE the 4th banana in half lengthways, or my preference is for round slices, and place cut side up on top of the batter.

Bake for 40mins, on middle self. COVER with foil, and bake for a further 30-40mins until loaf is golden, and a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the middle. This baking time is more than mentioned in the original recipe because we found it took ages for the skewer to come out clean.

Serve spread with unsalted butter or with any of your favourite topping, I like it straight!

SMACZNEGO!

This recipe is from the Tesco magazine September 2018.