Recipe #24: Banana Bread

Ingredients: 

- Butter (soft, room temperature) - 1stick (1/2 cup) 

- Sugar (3/4 cup) - I used regular granulated sugar but you can replace with other sweeteners. 

- Banana (3 ripe) 

- Eggs (2 large) 

- Flour (2 Cups) - I use combination of flours - a cup of quinoa flour mixed with half a cup of oatmeal cereal or sometimes even almond flour. The recipe works well with plain all purpose flour too. 

- Baking powder (1tsp) 

- Salt (1/2 tsp)

- Vanilla extract (1tsp) 

- Walnuts or pecans (1cup) 

- Raisins (1/2cup) - golden or black raisins depending on your preference

Method: 

- Preheat oven to 325 F. 

- Beat the sugar and butter together using a stand/hand mixer. 

- Once the mixture turns creamy, add eggs, vanilla extract and ripe bananas (mashed). Continue to beat until it's mixed well. 

- Combine dry ingredients (flour, salt, and baking powder). Mix together and add it to the wet mix. 

- Roast walnuts (I use pecans) and break it to smaller chunks. Allow to cool before adding to the batter along with the raisins. 

- Bake in a bread loaf tray greased with butter at 325F for 45-50 mins or until the bread is brown on the outside. Poke with a knife or toothpick to check if it is fully cooked in the middle. 

- Allow to cool in a cooling rack before cutting into slices. 

Best served butter toasted on a pan with a dollop of cream cheese.