Go Nuts for Banana Bread!

I've been D.Y.I.N.G. to make banana bread for a while now. And today was the day it finally happened. But this isn't just any banana bread. It's whole wheat-banana-nut-fruit-bread. Can you say healthy and delicious? AND SUGAR-FREE. That's just a bonus.

 So what goes into such a marvelous looking creation, you ask? Well:

- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 cup oat flour (grind up oats!)
- 1/2 cup seeds*
- 1/2 cup nuts*
- 1/3 cup dried fruit*
- 1/4 cup ground flax
- about a cup of mashed bananas
- a few tablespoons of shredded
   coconut
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup applesauce
- 1/2 tsp baking soda

* * Use whatever nuts/dried fruit you have in your kitchen! I used pistachios, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds. I would have loved to use walnuts and pecans, but I currently don't have any in my cupboards! For the fruit, I used dried papaya, pineapple, dates, and raisins. Mangos and apples would have  been nice, too! Be creative :)

 To make this beautiful thing:
- set the oven to 375°
- Add the dry ingredients together
- mash the bananas, and mix with applesauce
- add the banana-applesauce mixture to the dry stuff
- mix in your nuts, seeds, and fruit!
- spray a loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray
- Pop 'er in the oven for about 45 mins, or until a
   toothpick comes out clean.
- Let it cool, and EAT UP!


Okay, so let's get to the facts:
I cut my loaf into 13 slices. Per slice, the nutrition is as follows:
150 cals
6 g of fat (mostly from the nuts/seeds... HEALTHY)
20 g of carbs (mostly whole grain, and from the fruit... HEALTHY)
4 g of protein (from the seeds and whole grains... HEALTHY)

Concerned about the lack of sugar? Don't be. The mashed bananas and applesauce are both naturally sweet alternatives to the pesky white grainy stuff. Add more if you want a sweeter taste. The cinnamon also sweetens it up! And gives it a little spice. The dried fruit also offers a sugary taste. Try to stick to unsweetened dried fruit for a healthier option (don't worry, they still give your sweet tooth what it wants). Still not content?... Add honey, stevia, Splenda, or agave nectar. Even maple syrup will do the trick.

So there ya have it, ladies and gents.
Go NUTS for it! Go BANANAS for it!
It's... Healthy Banana-Nut bread.
(Cheesy, I know. But you get what you pay for, right?)

Hope you all try it and love it as much as I do! Best part about it is that you can play around with the mix-ins to make it exactly what you love!

:)