You have to give credit where credit is due, so this goes to Rip and sister Jane Esselstyn and their Badass Banana Bread. It’s rare that I don’t tweak a recipe just a little bit, but there was no tweaking needed with this delicious banana bread. The only thing I guess I would change is that I wouldn’t eat half the loaf in one sitting the next time I make it!

Ingredients:

2 cups whole-grain flour (such as 1 cup whole wheat and 1 cup oat flour)

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

3 brown-spotted medium bananas, peeled and smashed (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups)

1/4 cup 100% pure maple syrup

1/4 cup water

2 Tbsp unsweetened applesauce

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup add-ins of your choice: walnuts, pistachios, raisins, or non-dairy chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper.

2. In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg. In a large bowl, combine bananas, maple syrup, water, applesauce, vanilla, and vinegar. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet, fold in add-ins.

3. Pour the batter into the lined loaf pan (or divide among 12 muffin cups). Bake the loaf for 30 minutes (15-18 for muffins), until golden brown on top. Serve warm!

Makes 1 loaf or 12 muffins

Recipe credit to The Engine 2 Cookbook, Rip Esselstyn & Jane Esselstyn