I just adore banana bread, mind you I have tasted some really good ones in my life and some really dry terrible ones too.  The best ones I find are moist, crumbly and not dense, and have walnuts inside and on top….yummo ♥

This recipe can also be considered healthy as there is very little sugar (½ cup only) in the whole loaf, and it is also made with spelt flour, well known for it health benefits as an ancient grain, and much kinder to our tummies.

Here I have added not only a wonderful moist, healthy and delicious banana bread recipe, but I have found another way to use up some of that starter discard we have every time we feed our beloved starters.  Along with the other two recipes for pancakes and flatbread, this recipe is wonderful, and much, much better in my opinion than normal banana breads.  It will stay moist for a few days if wrapped in foil…..well if it lasts that long!

Try it an  let me know I promise you wont be disappointed ♥♥♥

Ingredients:

• 115gms unsalted butter
• ½ cup brown sugar – lightly packed
• 170gms sourdough starter (or 3/4 cup)
• 1 cup spelt flour
• 1 cup plain flour
• 3 really ripe bananas – mashed
• 1tsp pure vanilla essence
• ¾ cup walnuts – chopped
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2tsp honey
• 2 free range eggs
• ½tsp sea salt – fine
• ½tsp baking soda
• zest of 1 lemon

Topping:

• In a small bowl mix together 3 tbsp chopped walnuts and 1 tbsp brown sugar.

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 155°C fan forced (175°C if not fan forced).
2. Grease a 23cm x 13cm loaf tin and line the bottom and up two ends with baking paper – this not only stops it sticking but makes it easier to lift out of the tin.
3. In the large bowl of your stand mixer, beat butter and sugar until creamy.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, and scrape down the sides of the bowl from time to time.
5. Add sourdough starter, honey, mashed bananas, vanilla and olive oil.
6. Mix the two flours together with the baking soda and salt and add gradually to the mixture.
7. Keep scraping down the sides.
8. Now fold in the lemon zest and walnuts with a spatula.
9. Pout the mixture the loaf tin, and smooth the top with the spatula.
10. Sprinkle on the chopped walnuts and sugar.
11. Bake for 55 minutes.  Leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then lift out with the two ends of the baking paper and place on a wire rack to cool………or of course eat straight away while still warm with butter…lots of butter!