Best Ever Buckwheat Banana Bread

Holistic Nutritionist Natalie Brady has shared one of her popular recipes with us this week. With a buckwheat flour base, this delicious bread packs a nutrient punch. Buckwheat – despite its name – is actually a seed, not a grain, and it is full of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and fibre.

“Who doesn’t love banana bread? This recipe makes it even easier to love! It’s so simple, incredibly delicious and amazingly healthy! I’ve been enjoying it on its own or topped with raw honey or tahini.

It contains real wholefood ingredients. It’s perfectly sweet thanks to the natural sweetness of bananas, and the addition of pure maple syrup. It also has a slightly nutty taste from the buckwheat. It’s completely gluten, dairy, nut and refined sugar free. It’s a great addition to any healthy diet.

You can enjoy it for breakfast topped with a thick spread of nut or seed butter, raw honey, homemade jams, or just with butter if you’re that way inclined. It’s also the perfect morning or afternoon snack.

Buckwheat is one of my favourite grains. Well, actually it’s not even a grain, it’s a seed! It’s extremely nutritious and is loaded with beneficial vitamins and minerals. Buckwheat is very nourishing to the nervous system, as it contains a range of B vitamin’s which is crucial for nerve function, as well as the amino acid tryptophan, which helps to make serotonin, the FEEL GOOD hormone. Buckwheat has a light nutty flavour, it’s high in amino acids, fiber and essential minerals manganese, magnesium, zinc and copper. It’s also rich in anti-oxidants and is anti-inflammatory.

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups buckwheat flour

1/3 cup pure maple syrup

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

Pinch of Himalayan salt

5 ripe bananas, mashed

1/2 cup coconut oil (olive oil would be okay too), melted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees and grease a loaf tin with coconut oil (or baking paper).

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the buckwheat flour, maple syrup, baking powder, cinnamon and salt, mix well.

3. Next add the mashed bananas, oil and vanilla, mix to combine.

4. Pour the batter into a greased loaf tin and bake in the middle of the oven for 45 minutes, or until the skewer inserted comes out clean.

5. Remove from oven, allow loaf to cool slightly before removing form the loaf tin and slice into 8-10 slices.

Recipe by Natalie Brady, from Natalie Brady Nutrition ©