In a few weeks I’ll start teaching again. I’ve accepted a part-time position at Pikes Peak Community College, where I’ll teach three sections of Composition and Writing. I’m eager to get back into the classroom…but I’m also nervous to see how I’ll balance motherhood with lesson planning, grading, and writing. For the past several months, I’ve been working as a freelance food photographer (so in many ways, I’ve been balancing home/work since Lucy was only a few weeks old!), but I feel a little more daunted by this teaching position. Please send good, calming thoughts my way!
In the meantime, I’m baking food that makes me feel good. I find myself drawn to the recipes of my childhood (apple pie, banana bread, cinnamon bread) but with a desire to reduce the overly-processed ingredients. Ryan and I would eventually like to have another baby, which means I want to spend the next couple of years rebuilding my nutritional stores. Healthy fats, fish, whole grains, fruits and vegetables, nuts, and organic meats will be the main-stay of my diet….with sweet treats like this banana bread thrown in.
I have made this naturally sweet banana bread TWICE in the past week. For a girl who loves trying new recipes, this says something. This banana bread is moist with the perfect amount of sweetness. And guess what? There’s no refined sugar in sight. Just 3 or 4 ripe bananas and a mere 1/3 cup of high-quality maple syrup. I promise…you won’t miss the white stuff. Because nothing irritates me more than biting into a muffin or quickbread and tasting SUGAR instead of the fruit or spice its supposedly featuring. Blueberry muffins should taste like blueberries. Cinnamon bread should taste like cinnamon. Apple pie should taste like apples. And banana bread? Banana bread should taste like bananas.
This is my favorite banana bread recipe (naturally sweetened or not). I hope you’ll try it because I know you’ll love it as much as we do. (And did I mention this is a one bowl recipe? You just can’t beat it). I hope everyone has a beautiful and warm Monday!
Naturally Sweet Banana Bread
3 or 4 large, ripe bananas (the browner, the better!)
6 TBSP organic butter, melted
1/3 cup pure maple syrup (steer clear of the imitation)
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (you can substitute whole wheat flour here but expect a denser, slightly drier bread)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line an 8 x 4 inch loaf pan with parchment or grease well with butter. Set aside. In a large bowl, mash together ripe bananas. Stir in melted butter and maple syrup. Mix until well-combined. Add in vanilla extract and lightly beaten egg. Stir. Sprinkle baking soda, salt, and cinnamon over banana mixture. Fold flour into bananas and stir until just combined. Scrape into prepared loaf pan and bake in preheated oven for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
