My Homemade Banana Bread A Healthy and Ecolicious Dessert

If you didn't know it, bananas are extremely beneficial. A single banana can contain 400-450 mg of potassium depending on the source. This amount of potassium meets 10% of the daily requirement. Bananas are also high in vitamins B6 and B12, and iron, fiber and several other vitamins and nutrients. It is also low in salt. Because of everything a banana has inside it eating a banana can improve energy, digestion and will "help promote the retention of calcium, phosphorus and nitrogen - all of which then work to build sound and regenerated tissues. Banana also contains invert sugar, which is an aid to youthful growth and metabolism." (http://www.asianonlinerecipes.com/health-fitness/banana-natural-benefits.php).

I borrowed my recipe from Linda Larsen an About.com Guide. I tried her recipe first and then over time have altered the recipe to suit my taste. Here is her original recipe. http://busycooks.about.com/od/quickbreads/r/bananabread.htm

Here is my recipe!

The amount of time to make the bread is about 30 minutes.
Time to cook about 40-50 minutes

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened (healthy alternatives canola oil or applesauce)
1/2 cup organic sugar (healthy alternatives 1/2 cup of honey or agave)
1 organic egg
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. organic cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1 1/2 cup mashed banana (about 3-4 very ripe bananas)
1/2 cup mashed blueberries
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup pecan pieces
3 Tbsp. yogurt
1/2 tsp. organic cinnamon
2 Tbsp. organic sugar
1/2 cup granola cereal

Preparation:
Grease and flour a loaf pan. Set it aside. In a large metal bowl cream the butter (applesauce or canola oil) with 1/2 cup organic sugar (honey or agave) until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla to the mixture and beat well. In another bowl sift the flour with baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. In a small bowl mash the ripe bananas with a potato masher and then add the yogurt and mix it with the mashed bananas. Compost the banana peels.

Now preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Then add the flour mixture to the the butter mixture. Alternate with the banana/yogurt mixture. Slowly mix it all in until it the mixture is smooth. Now add the 1/2 cup mashed blueberries, 1/2 cup dried cranberries and 1/2 cup pecan pieces. Mix it well into the pattern. Pour batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle the 1/2 cup of granola cereal over the batter. Combine 1/2 tsp. cinnamon with 2 Tbsp. sugar, mix well, and sprinkle that over the granola cereal.

Bake in 350 degree oven for 40-50 minutes. Some ovens make require a longer cooking time. Remove banana bread from oven, then remove from pan and cool on a plate.

Eat with a nice tall glass of milk or liquado.

There is a recipe that calls for chopped apple pieces I would like to try the next time I make this recipe. I have also read a recipe that calls for orange zest.

If you still have ripe bananas left to use make a sweet refreshing drink called Liquado.

Ingredients and Materials:

Blender
Ice
organic Milk (can be substituted with yogurt)
organic Bananas
organic Blueberries (or other berry)
organic Sugar (amount to taste add more as you see fit)

Directions:

Fill the blender half way up with ice. Then pour in about a cup full of milk. Add a few ripe bananas. I usually ad about 2 or 3. Drop in a few blueberries or berries of your choice. If your bananas are not very ripe or if you like really sweet drinks add about a tablespoon of sugar, but I usually find that when the ripe bananas are very ripe they contain all the sugar needed for this drink.

Blend until the entire mix is a blender full of sweet slush.

Serve:

Pour in a tall clear glass.

Taste:
Drink with a nice piece of homemade banana bread. Sit back and enjoy a healthy summer.

Banana peels can be used to shine shoes. Bananas can be used as fertilizers in gardens, especially under rose bushes because they love potassium. Rub insect bites with the inside of banana peel.