Whether you’re kicking off the year with new health goals or simply craving a healthier snack, this low sugar banana bread is the perfect pick me up.
Our friends at Piccolo have created this lightly spiced banana bread, sure to keep the festive cheer going this January. Low in refined sugar with the addition of bananas and dates, the bread is packed with fibre and freezes beautifully. If you have a spare tin, double the recipe, and freeze a loaf!
Makes: 1 loaf (approx 8 slices)
Suitable for: Mums in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy. Suitable for babies from 1 year
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking: 45 minutes
Low Sugar Banana Bread Recipe
- 250g self-raising flour
- Pinch of sea salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 150ml vegetable oil
- 200g dates, pitted
- 2 ripe bananas (about 250g when peeled)
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 75g chopped walnuts (optional)
- 1 tbsp demerara sugar
- To make this baby friendly: this afternoon loaf becomes baby friendly if you remove the walnut pieces and do not sprinkle the sugar on top. Just as delicious for you as for baby.
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas mark 4 and grease and line a loaf tin.
- Place the dates in a saucepan and just cover with boiling water, heat on a low temperature for 5 minutes until the dates have softened. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Meanwhile, sift the flour, salt, and spices into a large mixing bowl or food processor.
- In another bowl add the bananas and mash to a puree, remove the dates from the water and mash in with the bananas. Add in the egg and oil, and mix. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in the banana mix.
- Mix the ingredients together with a wooden spoon until thoroughly combined and a dropping consistency, add the walnuts to the mix if using. If the mixture is a little too thick, add a tablespoon or two of the water used to cook the dates in, to loosen.
- Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and sprinkle the demerara sugar on top. Bake for about 45 minutes until well risen and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. The loaf keeps well for 5 days in an airtight container or freezes beautifully.
Piccolo Organic makes healthy (and very tasty) baby meals, cooking products and snacks to help you get the balance right every day. The brand is partnered with City Harvest and Little Village, and gives 10% of its profits to charity. Available in all major retailers and its online store. www.mylittlepiccolo.com
