Buckwheat Banana Bread
Banana bread is one of those bakes that just doesn’t get old. It’s always faithful – everyone knows what it is, everyone loves it, and best of all you can make it in so many different ways.
I’m known for my Tahini Banana Bread, which still stands as one of my favorite recipes, but I really wanted an option for vegans or anyone who doesn’t eat eggs. Because most of the banana bread recipes out there are packed with sugar! And I’ve never understood this, since overripe bananas are so beautifully sweet on their own.
I don’t mind using wholesome sweeteners every now and then, but why add sugar when you don’t need to, even if it is “healthy sugar”. You can read my sugar philosophy here.
And with that I introduce to you my latest installment of banana bread. It’s moist, sweet, and best of all it’s low in sugar, high in fibre, and yes you can actually eat it for breakfast!
I use a combo of blanched almond meal and buckwheat flour, and a combination of apple cider vinegar and bicarbonate of soda to create “lift”. You’ll notice when you mix the dry and wet ingredients together you’ll see some bubbles, this comes from the chemical reaction of these two ingredients and is very important in egg-free and gluten-free recipes. Make sure not to skip this!
And we start with making a “flax egg” out of ground flaxseed. This is of course what replaces the binding action of eggs in most baking recipes.
And what results is this tasty vegan-friendly, low sugar nourishing banana filled loaf. Enjoy!
Buckwheat Banana Bread
An easy vegan banana bread that uses only the natural sweetness of overripe bananas instead of adding sugar. It’s moist, sweet and healthy enough to eat it for breakfast.
Serves:
10
Prep time:
20 minutes
Cook time:
50 minutes
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tbsp flaxseed, ground
- 1 cup blanched almond meal
- ½ cup + 3 tbsp buckwheat flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 3 medium overripe bananas, mashed
- ⅓ cup almond milk, or milk of choice
- ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
METHOD
- Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a small loaf tin with baking paper.
- In a small bowl, combine the ground flaxseed with six tablespoons of water. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the almond meal, buckwheat, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon.
- In a separate bowl, combine the mashed banana, almond milk and melted coconut oil. Add in the flaxseed mixture, which should be thick by now, and stir. Add in the apple cider vinegar and stir to combine.
- Pour the dry mixture into the wet and combine, without overmixing, ensuring no dry lumps of flour remain.
- Pour into the lined tin and sprinkle over buckwheat groats. Bake in the oven for 45–50 minutes, until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Check every 15 or so minutes to ensure it isn’t browning too quickly. If it is, then simply place a sheet of foil over the loaf while it bakes to prevent it from becoming too brown.
- Remove from the oven and cool in the tin for 10 minutes before removing it from the tin and cooling on a wire rack.
Notes
- Any milk will work in this recipe.
- Any oil will work in this recipe.
- For a nut-free option, try my Tahini Banana Bread.
About Liv
I’m a holistic nutritionist (BSc) and healthy chef and I’m obsessed with waking up every day happy to be alive and excited for the day ahead, and eating incredible nourishing food!
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