Just Like Grandma’s Banana Nut Bread

There are a few foods that I will forever associate with my grandmother—homemade biscuits, chocolate cake with layers so thin that the icing almost soaks through them, and moist banana nut bread. A long time ago, I realized that I will never—not even in a million years—be able to make a chocolate cake as good as my grandmother’s. But I refuse to give up on trying to make a banana nut bread like hers.

The key to delicious banana nut bread is to use very ripe bananas and to make sure that the end result is super-moist. This veganized version of the grandma classic gets its moisture from a combination of blended silken tofu, soy milk, and a quarter cup of oil.

The finished bread is soft, banana-scented, and laced with crunchy, warm pecans—just like grandma’s.

Vegan

Vegan Banana Bread

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Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. ground flaxseed + 3 Tbsp. water
• 3-4 very ripe bananas, mashed
• 1/6 cup canola oil
• 1/6 cup applesauce (preferably unsweetened)
• 1/2 cup agave nectar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (or any other flour)
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3/4 cup walnut pieces (optional)
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Instructions

• In a small cup or bowl, mix the ground flaxseed with the water. Stir well, then cover and refrigerate for about an hour. Remove from the fridge, then stir well again.
• Pre-heat the oven to 325ºF.
• In a large bowl, combine the mashed bananas, oil, applesauce, agave nectar, and vanilla. Add the flaxseed mixture. Mix well.
• Add the dry ingredients. Stir until completely combined.
• Grease an 8-inch-by-4-inch pan with cooking spray. Pour the mixture into the pan so that it is evenly distributed.
• Bake for 45 to 55 minutes. Cooking time can vary from oven to oven, so check on the bread at 45 minutes. Insert a toothpick into the center of the loaf―if it comes out clean, the banana bread is done.

Makes 1 loaf