The only problem with my grandmother's banana bread—perhaps the most delicious thing I ever tasted, by the way—is that a more accurate description of it would have been banana cake. With white flour, butter, and enough sugar to make your teeth ache, it was impossible in in good conscience to call it anything but dessert.
Nowadays I make a healthier amaranth flour version that I can slice, toast, and eat for breakfast without a twinge of guilt. Here's the recipe:
(N.B.: For more about the health benefits of amaranth, see Amaranth: The New Superfood.)
Above: Photograph via Gnom Gnom.
I like Whole Foods' recipe for Amaranth Banana Bread. In addition to being delicious, it's a forgiving recipe you can't really mess up—and it takes under five minutes to mix the batter. And if you don't have any bananas? Substitute 1 cup of shredded zucchini (I know you have a zucchini or 20 you'd like to get rid of) to make Amaranth Zucchini Bread instead.
Whole Foods' Amaranth Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 3/4 cup amaranth flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 3)
- 2 large eggs
- 1/3 cup fat-free plain yogurt
- 2 tablespoons canola oil, more for the pan
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup chopped walnuts, divided
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a standard size loaf pan.
In a large bowl, whisk together whole wheat and amaranth flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a separate bowl, whisk together bananas, eggs, yogurt, oil, and sugar. Add banana mixture to flour mixture and stir just until combined. Fold in 1/2 cup walnuts. Pour batter into prepared pan and top with remaining 1/4 cup walnuts.
Bake one hour or until bread is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool slightly on a rack and then loosen the edges of the loaf with a knife before removing it from the pan.
Feel like cooking this weekend? See 68 more Garden-to-Table Recipes, including 5 Delicious Ways to Eat Flowers.