The best ever banana bread

This banana bread is hearty, healthy and downright tasty. We don't think we're exaggerating when we says it's the best ever banana bread. The ingredients in this recipe have the added bonus of being conducive to a good night's sleep. Yep, this is a recipe that's perfect for midnight snacks (or any time snacks). Try it to find out...

Makes 12 slices

What you need:

• 2 ripe bananas
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 free-range eggs
• 1 tbsp vanilla paste
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 cup buckwheat or plain flour
• 1 cup almond meal
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt

What to do:

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C / 340°F / Gas Mark 3.
2. Grease and line a 22 x 12 cm / 9″ x 5″ loaf tin with baking paper.
3. In a medium-sized bowl, mash the bananas with a fork.
4. Add in the oil, eggs, vanilla paste and honey, and whisk to combine well.
5. Fold through the flour, almond meal, baking powder and salt until the mixture is smooth.
6. Pour the batter into the loaf tin and bake in the oven for 40–50 minutes, or until the banana bread is golden on top and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
7. Allow the banana bread to cool completely before using a sharp knife to cut it into slices around 2cm / 0.8″ thick.

How to prepare for midnight snacking:

1. Tear little pieces of baking paper into roughly the size of a slice of banana bread and insert them between each slice. This will make it easier to remove the slices once frozen.
2. Slide the slices into a sealable bag and place them all into the freezer, ready for a night when you need them.
3. When you need a little night-time snack, remove one slice of banana bread from the freezer and pop it into the toaster.
4. Toast the slice on low to medium for a few minutes to make it warm and toasty around the edges.
5. Remove from toaster, spread with butter and a little drizzle of honey, and serve alongside a glass of warm milk.

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This recipe is from Lunch Lady Magazine Issue 11.