No Monkey Business Banana Bread Recipe

This recipe came from literally piecing together various other recipes and trying them out with adjusted amounts and proportions. I have to say I'm not a fan of Paleo baking because it seems to be counterproductive to me. Aaaannnd experimenting can be quite expensive! Anyways, sugar is sugar. UNLESS you don't add any. I like this bread because the sweetness comes from bananas and nothing else. And I can honestly say it's perfect and delicious JUST the way it is. I mean, just look at that photo!

Minimal, whole ingredients + no added sweeteners = guilt free dessert! 

No Money Business Banana Bread 

makes 1 loaf

prep time: 10 minutes

cook time: 45 minutes

WHAT YOU NEED

• 5 small or 4 large OVERLY ripe bananas (as in...soft, brown, and ready to be composted) 
• 4 eggs
• 1/3 cup walnut oil*
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup coconut flour*
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking soda
• a few pinches of sea salt

*I have not tried this recipe with any other oils or flours. If I can give some advice, I would not recommend substituting the flour. One thing I have learned from experience (and later read and confirmed on tons of blogs) is that coconut flour is a very unique flour and has very unique properties. It soaks up moisture like CRAZY for one thing and it just can't be directly substituted into baking recipes. It just doesn't work that way. As for the oil, I think melted coconut oil might work just fine. But the flavor that walnut oil adds just does it for me. I use coconut oil so often that I find it's nice to switch it up every now and then!  

Possible mix-ins (I wouldn't recommend more than 1/2 cup) 

• shredded dried coconut 
• chopped walnuts or pecans
• dark chocolate chips (if you're feeling naughty)
• anything you fancy!

WHAT TO DO

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Grease a bread pan lightly with oil and set aside. 
3. In a large mixing bowl, add peeled bananas and mash until your arm starts to hurt (seriously, mash 'em up REAL good!) 
4. Add the eggs, oil, and vanilla and mix until well combined.
5. Add coconut flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and sea salt and stir it up! (like Bob Marley)
6. Pour batter into pan and bake for about 45 minutes. DO NOT open the oven until the bread has been baking for at least 35-40 minutes or you risk the bread falling flat! If you have an oven with a window just check on it near the end of the bake time. If it's golden brown on top and a toothpick comes out of the center clean, it's done!
7. Enjoy! It's amazing hot or cold. Store remaining bread in the fridge for up to a week...like it'll last that long. 

I enjoy mine sliced and toasted (I don't own a toaster so I use a pan to toast it) with pure unsweetened chocolate, crunchy roasted almond or peanut butter, and a drizzle of raw, local honey in between. That's how I prepared it in the photo below and it is heaven in my mouth! :) But then again, I'm a HUGE chocolate fan. REAL chocolate, not that light milky stuff! That's candy, not chocolate. What an insult! I like mine DARK...85%, that's plenty sweet to me. If you're not accustomed to the strong, bitter flavor try 70%. Anything less, and you're doing yourself a disservice.