Banana Bread

Breakfast time is usually quite chaotic in our house.
I'm normally coming home from a training session only minutes before my husband runs out the door to work. The boys need to eat breakfast, get dressed and H has to pack his kinder bag; all without getting toothpaste over their clean shirts. There is normally some yelling, a few tears (don't worry it's usually not the kids crying!) and a table full of breakfast condiments and dirty dishes waiting for me when I eventually make it home.
This is also the reason that I often turn up to kinder drop off in my Lycra (and for that fashion atrocity I apologize).

As our morning times are more Heck than Brady it's important to have a breakfast option that you can eat whilst packing lunch boxes, turning shirts in the correct way and preparing that nights dinner. For these purposes I created this Banana Bread. It's nutritious, delicious and able to withstand the rigors of a busy morning.

This Banana Bread was a labor of stubbornness and determination. It took several iterations to develop a bread that was able to hold its own shape, was not too moist and would be easy to throw together for a busy persons breakfast....or afternoon tea or post lunch reward! The key to the final success was the use of Arrowroot Flour (also called Tapioca). I replaced some of the Almond meal with Arrowroot and it changed the structure of the bread, but not the flavor.

If you want to jazz up your banana bread you could add chocolate chips before baking, but my favorite is to slap on lots of Jam and Coconut Whipped Cream, which isn't really surprising because that's what I do with everything!

BANANA BREAD
Makes 1 loaf (10-12 slices)

INGREDIENTS
1/2 Cup Dates
1/4 cup Boiling Water
dash Bicarb Soda
1 Tablespoon Maple Syrup
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2 1/-2 to 3 Large Bananas
3 Eggs
1/2 cup Coconut Flour
3/4 cup Almond Meal
1/4 Arrowroot Flour
3 teaspoons Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Bicarb Soda
dash of Salt
2 Tablespoons Milk (Coconut, Almond etc)

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 175C/350F
Grease and line a 20cm (8 inch) x 10cm (4 inch) loaf tin.
Place the dates into a small bowl and covering with the boiling water and add the dash of bicarb.
Allow to sit and soften for at least 30 minutes.
Add the date mixture and the male syrup to a blender and mix until a purée forms.
Place the eggs into the bowl of a kitchen stand mixer and beat on medium until fluffy.
Add the purée mix and continue to beat on medium. Add the vanilla extract.
Add the bananas to the blender and pulse (alternatively do this with a masher or fork). I like to have mine mainly gooey with a few chunks left in.  
Add the bananas to the mixing bowl and beat on medium until well combined.
In a separate bowl sift the dry ingredients together.
Fold the dry ingredients into the mixing bowl, being careful not to over mix.
Add the milk and stir through gently.
Pour the mixture into the prepared tin.
Bake for 55-60 minutes, or until cooked through.
Depending on the reliability of your oven it may pay to start checking at 50 minutes.
Allow to cool in the tin before slicing.
Tastes great when served with Jam or Whipped Coconut Cream.