Whole Wheat Banana Bread

This recipe is only slightly adapted from this website. It is awesome--the best "healthy" banana bread I have tried--and I have tried a lot. It's a great after school snack that everyone will enjoy!

Yield: 1 (9x5-in) loaf or 4 mini loafs

Ingredients:

For the wet ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cups (320 g) mashed very ripe banana (about 4 medium or 3 large. On occasion, I have only had 2 bananas and I have used enough apple sauce to make up the rest.)
• 2 tablespoons (15 g) ground flaxseed
• 1/3 cup (80 mL) milk (I like almond milk)
• 1/3 cup (80 mL) coconut oil, melted
• 2 tablespoons (30 mL) pure maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons (10 mL) pure vanilla extract

For the dry ingredients:

• 1/4 cup (60 g) coconut sugar
• 1/2 cup (50 g) rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 1/2 cups (210 g) white whole wheat flour
• Chopped walnuts, and/or mini chocolate chips, for topping (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with oil and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, mash the banana until almost smooth, and make sure you have 1 1/3 cups.
3. Stir the wet ingredients (ground flax, milk, melted oil, maple syrup, and vanilla) into the banana until combined.
4. Stir the dry ingredients (sugar, oats, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and flour) into the wet mixture, one by one, in the order listed. Stop stirring when there are no flour patches at the bottom of the bowl.
5. Spoon the dough into the loaf pan and spread out evenly. Add your desired toppings and gently press them into the dough to adhere.
6. Bake the loaf, uncovered, for 45 to 55 minutes, until lightly golden and firm on top. The top of the loaf should slowly spring back when touched.
7. Place the loaf pan on a cooling rack for 30 minutes. Then, slide a knife around the loaf to loosen it and gently remove it from the pan, placing it directly onto the cooling rack until completely cooled.