Hemp Heart Banana Bread (VEGAN)
This fluffy, moist and satisfying Banana Bread is a healthier version of Grandma's classic with the addition of hemp hearts, oats & warming spices.
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Ingredients
- 2-3 Bananas very ripe (black is good!)
- 3 tbsp Coconut oil melted
- 3 tbsp Aquafaba liquid from canned chickpeas
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract I used vanilla paste
- 1/3 cup Non-dairy milk
- 1 tsp Baking powder
- 1 tsp Bi-carb (baking soda)
- 1 1/2 cup All purpose flour
- 1/2 cup Coconut sugar
- 1/2 cup Agave or Maple I used maple
- 1/4 cup Oats not quick oats*
- 1/4 cup Hemp Hearts
- 1/2 tsp Himalayan Pink Salt or 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 cup Nuts I use walnuts or almonds
- 1/4 tsp Cinnamon (ground) optional
- 1/4 tsp Ginger (ground) optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Peel the bananas and mash the flesh in a bowl.
- Add the wet ingredients: coconut oil, aquafaba, plant milk, coconut sugar, liquid sweetener + vanilla. Mix just to combine.
- Next, add in the dry ingredients: flour, oats, hemp hearts, baking powder + baking soda, salt and spices. Gently mix until incorporated.
- Fold in chopped nuts.
- Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan and pour batter into the loaf pan, spreading evenly.
- Bake for approx. 35-50 minutes, depending on your oven. Rotate pan halfway through baking.
- Let cool for approx. 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
*I use regular old fashioned oats but other kinds like steel cut oats should work fine here too. Keep in mind, however, substitutions may increase baking time slightly.
*The banana bread will be done when a toothpick inserted into the middle, comes out clean - no crumbs. Start checking for doneness around 35 minutes!
Please DO NOT use quick oats as they will not yield the same texture! Mainly, because they overcook quickly and then turn to mush, which would ruin the fluffiness we all love in a classic Banana Bread.
I have successfully made this recipe with as honey as the sweetener and my current favorite is Palmetto Honey. However, I do recognize that there is some divide within the vegan community surrounding honey consumption and its affect on bees so I chose to alter my original recipe and replace it with Maple syrup. But, feel free to use Honey if you prefer or ditch both and use Agave!
Funny enough, my first iterations of this original recipe was made with Cassava syrup. I absolutely loved using this mild-flavored syrup in breads and desserts. Unfortunately, an insane locust problem with the majority producers of cassava crops has created shortage and I can no longer find that syrup for a reasonable price. If you can get your hands on it though, I definitely recommend you give it a try!
If your bananas are extremely sweet, feel free to cut back the liquid sweetener to 1/4 cup instead.