new banana bread on the loose!! i kind of dressed up my normal banana bread recipe with some additional add-ins… so decided to make a new recipe out of it!
the differences in this banana bread start with less flax & a little more almond flour + when it comes to additions — i threw in chopped walnuts, additional CINNAMON (hello hi fall), & the best one yet, chopped fresh banana pieces. big YES
this is also different from the banana nut muffins on my blog cause i didn’t use any mix this time… all individual ingredients and measurements, all came out to reflect the perfect BANANA NUT flavor i grew up on.
so in banana bread, of course, there is already banana mashed up and mixed into the entire batter, but something in me told me i needed more banana this time, so i used a perfectly ripened, yellow banana, sliced it down the middle and then into chunks, and tossed them into the batter with the walnuts. i stirred gently, saw the chunks in every turn, and knew it was gonna be perf.
left chocolate chips out of this round cause i really wanted to see how it came out as banana nut bread. it’s perfect, let me just say. chocolate chips will only make it 100x better, so go for it if you want!
here’s the full recipe — TAHINI BANANA NUT BREAD.
INGREDIENTS >>
-2-3 mashed, ripened/overripe banana
-1/3 cup tahini
-1/3 cup maple syrup
-1/3 cup almond milk
-2 tbsp coconut sugar
-2 tsp vanilla extract
-1 egg
-2 cups almond flour
-1/4 cup ground flaxseed
-1 tsp baking powder
-1 tbsp cinnamon
-handful of walnuts, chopped
-1 banana, sliced + chopped, in chunks [not mashed]
HOW TO MAKE >>
- set oven to 350F.
- mix all wet ingredients together — mashed banana, tahini, egg, almond milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract — until incorporated.
- add coconut sugar, mix well.
- add ground flaxseed, almond flour, baking powder, and cinnamon.
- continue to mix until combined.
- using a spoon or rubber spatula, gently fold in walnuts + chopped banana to batter.
- pour into lined + greased loaf pan.
- bake at 350F for 45-55 minutes.
- store in refrigerator for up to 1 week or freeze for months!
can you get more springy than a lemon poppyseed muffin?! i simply do not think so. a light, fluffy, lemony yellow muffin, eaten as part of a breakfast, snack, or dessert, you just can’t go wrong!! my new lemon poppyseed muffins are grain-free, dairy-free, refined-sugar free, aka PALEO + delish!!
the words “banana nut muffin” remind me of a very specific muffin that i used to eat a LOT when i was a lot younger. the big muffins that came in a 3 pack and were topped with walnuts — i used to eat those for breakfast, at volleyball tournaments, any time. they were so sweet and dense, & when i saw this 
so carrot cake is like THE cake that is a true treat in my mind. i don’t know if it’s the cream cheese frosting or the multiple additions of raisins, walnuts, or even coconut/pineapple, but every time i hear or see or eat carrot cake, i want some more. this loaf is truly PERFECT for any day of the week as a breakfast, snack, or dessert, because it checks off all those boxes and fixes the craving, but it isn’t as heavy or sweetened as a full on cake might be. it’s a recipe that’s honestly just necessary, and i’m SO EXCITED to share it today!
BANANA BREAD. can it get any more classic? i’ve been wanting to create my own banana bread recipe for a while, & i finally did it! it’s free of all the following: gluten, grains, dairy, soy, nuts, refined sugar. when it came out of the oven, i just had to sample it before i even took these photos, & trust me when i say this — my BANANA BREAD has been LANDED. it’s fluffy, dense, moist, full of banana flavor, & completely heavenly. let’s get to it!
i recreated these cinnamon blueberry pancakes from a pancake recipe that my mom made for us growing up. the cinnamon in the pancake makes it so warm on top of being an ultra soft + fluffy pancake, & the blueberries heat up while cooking and are bursting by the time you eat the pancakes!!
ohhhhh my goodness. the lemon blueberry combination. i almost have NO words for the heaven that it is… but i’ll try and give you an idea of how legit incredible this bread is. i first thought of this idea becuase i wanted to make something that has a more vibrant flavor than the typical breads — banana, zucchini, pumpkin. those are all delish in a warm + comforting way, and i wanted this new bread to be brighter & lighter. i seriously chose this flavor combination as my effort to WILL spring into action. enter: LEMON. 
if you haven’t been able to tell by now i love a breakfast bowl & i love a sweet one. i only post my SP one every few days 🙂 i’ve recently found a paleo yogurt – it has a cashewmilk base, no added sugars, plus probiotics. i used it as the base for my yogurt parfait that is now making a COMEBACK!! 
since i’ve found this new yogurt that i am obsessed with [it’s dairy free – cashew milk based – no added sugars, & packed with probiotics. what more could you ask for when you just really miss parfaits but still want to eat real food with clean ingredients] … GRANOLA!!! except that one major thing with granola is that usually the base is oats which are a grain; which is not something involved in eating paleo. UNTIL now. my new coconut maple almond granola is GRAIN FREE + you might not even guess it! it’s crunchy, nutty, clustery, & slightly sweet. you see it, you like it, you want it? YOU GOT IT.
OKAY. it’s here!! this will be the first bread recipe that i’ve tested & successfully created for my blog! i’ve been wanting to make something like a banana bread, but without the bananas; which would make it just bread. but i didn’t want to make just bread! [shouts to @aeengels12 for the inspiration for a sweet potato based bread – this one’s for yaaa.] i wanted the flavor to be neutral in terms of not having fruit or cinnamon or any nut butter, & the reason for that was because i wanted to be able to put whatever toppings on it without clashing or overpowering any flavs!
rachel tiedmann 