Banana and Coconut Bread

Just for the loyal readership of Grow Eat Run I have baked and taste tested a largish quantity of different banana bread recipes (yes, it was all for you!) And, I love this one.  A delictable combination of banana to keep it moist and the crunchiness of the walnuts and coconut makes this a perfect little treat.  A few other flavours to add to the mix are cinnamon and vanilla - yum!  Feel free to replace the maple syrup with honey if that's all you have in the cupboard, or use a little stevia (equal to 2 tsp) if you want to keep the glycemic index down.  

This recipe will make enough for one standard loaf pan.  Because of the density of the bread don't expect it to raise to the top and regularly check to make sure you don't burn the top.  

What you need:

• 3 Bananas - mashed
• 1 cup almond meal
• 1tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup walnuts - roughly chopped
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbs almond butter
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup flaked coconut
• 2 tbs maple syrup

How to make it:

1. You already know what I'm going to say - head on to the Facebook page for Grow Eat Run and like it!  
2. Preheat the oven to 180deg Celsius (356deg Fahrenheit)
3. Mash the bananas and whisk in the eggs, almond butter, vanilla extract and maple syrup - put this aside
4. To make the dry mix, in a mixing bowl add the almond meal, baking powder, walnuts, cinnamon and flaked coconut.  With a wooden spoon mix this together.  
5. Add the banana mix to the dry mix and stir until all the mixture is well combined.
6. Pour into to loaf pan and bake for 40 minutes.  You want to place the pan in the middle of the oven and not to high up (as this will burn the top of the loaf). This is a dense bread and will take awhile, check it at the 30minute mark by piercing it with a knife or skewer.  If the knife/skewer comes out clean it is ready, if it comes out with mixture on it leave it in there for another 10 minutes.