• The JSHealth community so adored the banana bread in my first book that I felt I really should include a variation of it in this book. And I have to tell you, it could be my favourite sweet treat in this chapter. A slice of this with a smear of almond butter and a cup of chai and I’m in heaven. 

    Banana hazelnut chocolate bread

    Cooking Time: 1 hour 15 minutes, including cooking

    Ingredients

    • coconut oil spray
    • almond meal, for coating
    • 200 g hazelnut meal, plus extra if needed
    • 50 g LSA or ground flaxseed
    • 3 tablespoons psyllium husk (for a fibre hit, but optional)
    • 2 heaped tablespoons raw cacao powder
    • 40 g hazelnuts, skins removed, crushed or chopped
    • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
    • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
    • 75 g roughly chopped dark chocolate or raw vegan chocolate chunks
    • 3 ripe bananas, mashed
    • 3 eggs
    • 90 g medjool dates, pitted and roughly chopped
    • 3 tablespoons almond milk (or milk of your choice), plus extra if needed
    • 2 tablespoons virgin organic coconut oil, melted
    • 2 tablespoons stevia granules, raw honey or maple syrup
    • ½ banana, extra, sliced
    • almond butter, raw honey and raw cacao powder,extra, to serve

    Instructions

    1

    Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan/gas 4). Lightly spray a standard loaf tin with coconut oil and coat generously with almond meal, tipping out the excess.

    2

    Combine the hazelnut meal, LSA or fl axseed, psyllium husk (if using), cacao powder, hazelnuts, cinnamon, baking powder and chocolate in a large mixing bowl.

    3

    In a jug, whisk together the mashed banana, eggs, dates, milk, coconut oil and sweetener.

    4

    Pour the banana mixture into the dry ingredients and mix until well combined.

    5

    If the batter is too wet, add extra hazelnut meal; if it is too dry, add more milk.

    6

    Spoon the batter into the prepared tin and decorate the top with the sliced banana.

    7

    Bake for 45–60 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

    8

    Remove and allow to cool in the tin.

    9

    Gently tip the cooled loaf out of the tin and cut into slices. This is delicious served with almond butter, honey and a sprinkle of cacao powder.

    10

    Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, or wrap individual slices and store in the freezer for a month.

    Living the Healthy Life by Jessica Sepel is out Thursday (6th April), published by Bluebird, £16.99. Images by Rob Palmer.

    Author

    Imka Webb is a freelance digital marketing expert and the digital editor of Food & Home Entertaining magazine.  www.imkawebb.com

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