Slow Food: Buckwheat Banana Bread

As an earthy palette of crunchy leaves begin their descent from the trees, we're looking to warming, nourishing food that brings us comfort and content. Baking automatically comes to mind; an almost meditative process that brings a sense of well-being to days best spent indoors, until we start licking the bowl and picking at every last bit. The guilt ensues, and we regret baking to begin with. 

Our answer is nutritionist Stephanie Wearne's buckwheat banana bread; a slice of decadence served healthier, and best paired with blueberries, yogurt, and a drizzle of maple syrup. 

Ingredients

1 cup almond meal
1 cup oats (quinoa flakes for GF) 
½ buckwheat flour
1 tablespoon psyllium husks
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 mashed bananas
2 eggs
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
2 tablespoons rice malt syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ walnuts, coarsely chopped
½ lemon, zest
1 banana, sliced vertically to go on top

Directions

Preheat the oven to 180⁰C. Grease a loaf pan and line with baking paper.

Combine the almond meal, oats, buckwheat flour, psyllium, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg in a bowl. In a separate bowl beat the eggs until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, banana, oil, rice malt syrup, vanilla, walnuts and lemon zest to the dry mixture and mix thoroughly.

Spoon the mixture into the loaf tin and smooth with the back of a spoon. Top with the extra banana and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Cool and slice. This will keep in the fridge for one week, or in the freezer for one month and toast when serving. If keeping in the freezer, slice and place baking paper between each slice.   

Makes 10 slices