Hazelnut Banana Bread

This is what happens when I have free time. I start baking. Not cookies or brownies or cakes. Either muffins or bread. Hopefully ones without a lot of sugar and packed with whole grains. So I can satisfying my daily carb cravings without too much regret. Considering my love of loaves, it's surprising that I haven't posted a banana bread recipe before now. It did take me some time to find one that looked worthy of trying. I wanted my banana bread to be made with whole wheat and jam packed with bananas. This recipe accomplishes both goals, as well as being low in fat and relatively low in sugar. (But still incredibly moist and pleasantly sweet!) The cinnamon and nutmeg add a subtle spice and the hazelnuts (which could be substituted with walnuts or pecans or omitted) add a little crunch. I bet you could sneak even more bananas into the batter with a good result. I say go for it!

Hazelnut Banana Bread

INGREDIENTS
1/3 cup applesauce
1/2 cup honey (I used 1/3 cup)
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas
1 3/4 cups white whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
pinch nutmeg
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 cup hot water
1/2 cup hazelnuts, skinned and roughly chopped (optional)

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 325 F. Lightly grease a 9x5 bread pan.

2. In a large bowl, whisk to combine applesauce, honey, vanilla, eggs, and bananas. In a separate bowl, whisk to combine flour, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir flour mixture into the wet ingredients until just moistened. Add baking soda to hot water, stir to mix, then add to batter. Fold in nuts, if using.

3. Pour into prepared baking pan and bake in preheated oven for 60-70 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. (Cover with foil partway through cooking if the top is browning too fast.) Cool on a wire rack before slicing.

Makes 1 loaf.

(Adapted from All Recipes)