Oatmeal Banana Bread

I was really anxious to try this banana bread Recipe  and did so today.  You won’t be disappointed.  Moist tender and full of flavor, this is a great breakfast bread for a healthier start to your day.

I love breakfast breads of all kinds and my go to are scones or muffins.  I don’t make sweet rich breads for breakfast but those that imo are healthy.  I use unsweetened applesauce or yogurt which allows me To cut back on butter in a recipe.

I think you’ll like this recipe  for your morning or really anytime addition to your cup of coffee Or tea.

Note:  I did make substitutions in the recipe.  Regular or gluten free oats work and you can use wheat flour.  I used what I had in my pantry!  Also I’m going to freeze it in slices and wrap for morning quick bites...

Enjoy!

• 1 1/2 cup dried oats ( I used gluten free Quaker dried oats) 
•  1 teaspoon baking soda
•  1/4 teaspoon baking powder
•  ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
•  1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup All purpose flour( you can use whole wheat flour)
•  1 1/2 cups mashed very ripe bananas — about 4 medium bananas
•  2/3 cup honey or pure maple syrup ( I used honey)
•  4 tablespoons unsalted butter — melted
•  1/4 cup milk
•  3 tablespoons nonfat plain Greek yogurt (I used regular plain yogurt
•  2 large eggs
•  1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread 1 1/2 cups oats in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Place in the oven and toast for 8 to 10 minutes, until very light golden and fragrant, stirring once halfway through. Set aside to cool. Line a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper so that two sides overhang like handles. Lightly mist with nonstick spray.

1. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in the toasted oats. Set aside.
2. Mash the banana in the bottom of a large mixing bowl and double check to make sure you have 1 1/2 cups. Whisk in the honey, melted butter, milk, and Greek yogurt. If the butter resolidifies, warm the bowl in the microwave in 10-second bursts, just until it melts. One at a time, whisk in the eggs. Whisk in the vanilla extract.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the banana-honey mixture. By hand with a rubber spatula, stir very slowly and gently, stopping as soon as the flour disappears. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle the batter with remaining 1 tablespoon oats for decoration.
   
   
4.   Bake for 30 minutes, then loosely cover the pan with foil, making sure that the foil shields both ends of the pan (because the bread is sweetened with honey, it will caramelize and become dark at the corners). Continue baking for 35 to 45 additional minutes (65 to 75 minutes total) or until a small, thin knife inserted in the center of the loaf comes out without any wet batter clinging to it. Repeat the test once or twice. An even easier way to tell is to use an instant-read thermometer. When the bread reaches between 200 to 210 degrees F at the center, it’s done.
5. Place the pan on a wire rack, and let the bread cool in the pan for 1 hour. Using the parchment paper handles, lift the bread and set it out on the rack to finish cooling completely. Slice and enjoy!