Healthy banana bread

Bananas are great. I love them. I use them as an energy boost when I'm flagging mid afternoon. They're a brilliant source of potassium and they're really tasty. But bananas are also great for cooking with. When ripe the fruits have a saccharine taste and are a healthier way of making your baked goods sweet without adding tonnes of sugar.

This week I'm supporting Farmhouse Breakfast Week to get everyone eating breakfast. Eating something when you get up is so good for you - it sets you up for your day, gives you energy, can make you happy and can help you to lose weight.

If you follow me on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook you will have seen my sharing my breakfasts under the hashtag #BreakfastWatch. I've really enjoyed doing this and looking at other people's breakfasts.

We had an abudance of bananas in the house after I'd bought some, my mum had bought some and Farmhouse Breakfast Week sent me some. I decided I would make something fun and yummy with them. So, what do you do when you have lots of bananas? Make banana bread of course. I also whipped up a banana seeded oat bake for breakfast one morning as well.

You will need...

[serves 10 -12]

4 bananas
125g wholemeal plain flour
125g ground almonds
2 medium free range eggs
1 tablespoon coconut oil
30g ground flax seed
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon baking powder

Time to go bananas!...

Preheat the oven to 180° C/400F/Gas Mark 4. Mash the bananas with a fork until there are no big lumpy bits. Mix the dry ingredients (wholemeal flour, ground almonds, ground flaxseed and baking powder) together in a large mixing bowl. Then mix in the bananas, coconut oil, eggs and maple syrup.

Grease a bread tin with a little coconut oil, pour the mixture into the tin and bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes until the outside is golden. Leave to cool and cut into 10 generous slices or 12 slightly smaller ones.

This banana bread is simply delicious. It's light, slightly sweet  but the wholemeal flour makes it a substantial breakfast. It can be put in a container and eaten on the way to work or at your desk if you don't have time to eat before you leave the house.

It was gorgeous when it was still warm after it had come out of the oven on the day you make it. But is also lovely for breakfast or an afternoon snack with a cup of tea the days after you've made it. It works really well with almond butter smothered on the top

Tomorrow is the last day of Farmhouse Breakfast Week and I'll be sharing another breakfast recipe with you.