Bonkers Banana-cado Bread

Bananas and avocadoes are two foods always stocked in my fruit bowl. I honestly don’t know how I could live without these perfectly packaged portions of nourishment, in fact I'm bonkers about them.

While the spotlight is often on ambiguous superfoods found in the depths of Amazonian rainforests, I like to think that some of the simple seasonal foods we have grown up with are also brimming with supercharged goodness.  This is something that I've discovered in my own kitchen at home; everyday foods often hold some of the greatest nutritional superpowers. My mission in life is to find ways to harness the nutrient density of these ingredients; maximising their benefits through the pleasure of everyday simple and delicious recipes.

Smashed avo on toast certainly is a national favourite in Australia and also was peaking in cafes on my recent trip to New York City, and why wouldn’t it be? Creamy, green, versatile and full of nourishment ranging from an abundance of heart healthy monounsaturated fats, a big hit of fibre, vitamin K, folate, vitamin B6, potassium and vitamin C; these perfect portions of goodness can turn a piece of toast or a standard salad into a thing of gastronomical wonder.

I love a bit of smashed avo, but you don’t have to spend an arm and a leg in a hipster café to enjoy its goodness, and can quite frugally enjoy this wholesome café favourite at home. My ultimate go-to breakfast recipe is my smashed sardines with avocado on chia and flaxseed loaf which is full of anti-inflammatory fats, and wonderful for anti-ageing by supplying the skin with moisture from the inside out.

My chilled avocado soup is also an ideal way to enjoy the delight of Mexican flavours and is a brilliant recipe to share as a light meal or starter in the warmth of summer.

No salad really feels complete to me without the presence of luscious chunks of ripe green avo, and another way to celebrate this dreamy fruit is within my kale, strawberry and avocado salad; a beautiful lunch or side to grace your family table.  It's one I'll be serving at my annual orphans Christmas event at my house this year. For more Christmas recipes go here.

Now bananas are another one of those everyday foods that just don’t get old. It’s likely these yellow friends were a presence in your daily school lunchbox, and are the perfect on-the-go snack to bring energy and nourishment in an instant. But don’t let this commoner fool you. They are absolutely loaded with nutrition.

We all know they’re high in potassium which is important for relieving anxiety and stress, enhancing muscle strength, metabolism, water balance, electrolytic functions, and balancing the nervous system; but did you know that bananas are also loaded with vitamin B6, vitamin C, manganese and fibre?  They also contain several types of potent antioxidants, including dopamine and catechins, which have been linked to a reduced risk of heart disease and degenerative diseases.

I love to enjoy bananas as a quick morning snack before exercise. I never let an over-ripe banana go to waste; storing them up in my freezer as a quick way to add creaminess to breakfast smoothies. A stash of frozen bananas always means I can have a sustaining smoothie bowl on offer;  whizzing up a deliciously customised blend bejewelled with different crunchy sprinkles like cacao nibs, nuts, seeds or coconut on top.

Right now I’m enjoying the uplifting kick of this Happy Feels Mocha and Banana smoothie bowl which can be loaded with sneaky servings of green veg to increase the nourishment factor!

Another great way to use up overripe bananas is to make cakes and baked goods with them. Because of their natural sweetness, you can create lovely baked goodies minus excessive amounts of added sweeteners.

This banana avo bread is a beautiful way to combine two everyday superstar ingredients straight from the fruit bowl. Simple supermarket items that are loaded with nutrition can be enjoyed in this loaf of pure delectability. Skip the café variety that’s crammed with wheat and sugar, and share a few slices of this around with your friends on a morning coffee break to score instant workplace credibility.

Love Your Gut powder is an optional addition, but a worthwhile way to add in some sneaky gut healing, detoxification and extra minerals that will add a lustre to your skin hair and nails! You can purchase or read more about the LYG powder here.

Bonkers Banana-cado Bread

Ingredients

• 2 cups almond meal
• 1 TBS LYG powder
• 1 tsp GF baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 3 large overripe bananas
• 1/2 a large avocado OR 3/4 of a small one
• 3 eggs
• 2 - 4 tbsp Rice Malt Syrup (depending on how sweet you like it, the overripe bananas already provide lots of sweetness) 

Method:

1. Blend banana and avocado in a blender, or mash with a fork if you like a more rustic chunky bread
2. Add in eggs and rice malt and mix well
3. In a separate bowl combine all dry ingredients, and stir into the wet ingredients
4. Pour into a loaf tin lined with baking paper 
5. Bake for 55 - 60 minutes at 160C

Give it a crack and let me know what you think in the comments section below.

Lee xo