Banana Bread with Whole Wheat Flour

BananaBread

Ingredients:

• Applesauce, unsweetenend      1/4 Cup
• Canola oil            1/4 Cup
• Brown sugar, light or dark    1/2 cup packed  (3.75 ounces)
• Baking Soda        3/4 tsp
• Salt                         1/2 tsp
• Cinnamon, ground    1/2 tsp
• Nutmeg, ground        1/4 tsp
• Vanilla extract           1 tsp
• Bananas, very ripe, mashed     1 and 1/2 cups (about 3 medium)
• Honey             1/4 cup
• Eggs, large     2 whole
• Flour, Whole Wheat                1 and 1/2 cups (6 ounces)
• Wheat germ, ground flakes    1/2 cup
• Walnuts, chopped, toasted    1/2 cup   (2 ounces)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, spray a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with non-stick spray.
2. Combine all ingredients up to the whole wheat flour in a large mixing bowl.
3. Whisk swiftly with a fork until all ingredients are well-combined and honey is not sticking to the bottom of bowl.
4. In seperate bowl combine the flour and wheat germ.
5. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour the banana mixture into it.
6. Using a spoon stir the ingredients together (do not beat or over mix!)  Stop when there are no more dry spots of flour.  Mixture will be lumpy.
7. Gently fold in the nuts.
8. Pour mixture into prepared loaf pan and put in oven.
9. Bake for 50 minutes.
10. Lay a piece of foil loosely across top of loaf pan and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center of bread comes out clean.
11. Remove from oven and allow to sit in pan for 10 minutes.
12. Turn bread out onto cooling rack and cool completely before slicing – at least one hour!!!!  This ensures that all the moisture and flavor is fully absorbed by the bread.

For nutritional analysis see my post on Banana Bread