On December 17th, my guide dog, Saddle, bagan celebrating a very happy 13th
birthday with her annual square inch of birthday banana bread. Because humans
eat most of the loaf (or in this case, bundt-cake shaped loaf), I make it
healthy, but pleasing to the human palate. Saddle--who loves food--has never
shown such devotion to a baked good. And I would have to agree that this
recipe WAS delicious, while it lasted.
Saddle's Birthday Banana Bread
3 very ripe bananas
Plus 1 ripe banana, thinly sliced (optional)
1/2 cup unsweetened, organic applesauce
3 tablespoons organic almond oil (or expeller-pressed canola oil)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or real vanilla from the pods would be awesome)
1 1/2 Cups Barley Flour (I use barley because this is the grain in Saddle's
kibble. However, a whole wheat/ grain PASTRY flour would work. Regualar whole
wheat flour would be too heavy for this recipe.)
1 1/2 Teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
4-8 Tablespoons of ground flaxseed--whatever amount seems right (or about 3/4
cups of chopped walnuts or pecans)
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. (You will use the middle rack.)
Lightly oil loaf pan.
2. Thuroughly mash three bananas. I used a stand mixer. However you mashed
them, make them as liquid as possible. Then, add applesauce, oil, and vanilla
and mix well.
3. Slice the 4th banana into thin slices and set aside.
3. Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt, separately. To this dry
mixture add the ground flaxseed (or nuts).
4. Blend the liquid and the dry mixture together, just enough. Do not over
mix.
5. Spoon into the prepared loaf pan a little at a time. After you have
spooned in a thin layer, lay thin banana slices on top. Then, spoon in enough
to cover slices and layer more banana slices on top of that. Cover with
batter.
6. Bake bread for 40 minutes, or until the center is set.
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