Coconut-Banana Dream Loaf

End you weekend on a sweet note with this delicious and utterly decadent banana bread. I am so sure you will love this bread I bet it will even turn nanner-haters into true believers. Give it a try!

Cook with caution though, this bread is addicting. You better make 2 loaves because the first one will be gone in a day (or less if more than one person is enjoying it's magnificence). This is the recipe I made for my dad when he visited, and then brought to work for my coworkers, and then made a white chocolate chip "cake" version for my friend Cathy for her birthday. It was a home run on all fronts :)

Without further adieu... I give you:

 "Coconut-Banana Dream Loaf"

> Ingredients:

1 1/3 C. whole wheat flour
1 C. Stevia
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon 
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/2 C. Egg Beaters
1-2 REALLY RIPE bananas (mash 1 cup, then "chunk about 1/2 cup and add last)

1/4 C. water (add gradually until cake batter consistency)
1/4 C. coconut oil (don't skip this, it MAKES the recipe!)

3 scoops vanilla protein powder (or if you have it, try banana flavored!)

1/4 C. Sugar Free Maple Syrup (or the real deal... this is what I had)

>Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350, and spray a 8x4 in. pan or a loaf pan with "Butter" flavored Pam.

2. Mix all dry ingredients together, then add the wet ingredients except the maple syrup and the 1/2 cup of chunked banana.

3. Mix well, and add the banana chunks.

4. Pour into your 8x4 in. pan or a loaf pan.

5. Swirl in the maple syrup with a knife, like you would with a cheesecake.

6. Bake for 30 to 40 min

**I recommend cooking it for 30min (the top should be getting golden by now), then take it out and check how firm it is by inserting a tooth pick in middle loaf and checking if it comes out clean. If not, GOOD... put it back in the oven for 10 more min, then TURN OFF the oven and leave the loaf it while it cool down. This way the center stays really moist but the top is golden brown. That's my secret :) **
 

Oh yeah, Step #7: SMOTHER with Smart Balance butter and eat!

I adapted this recipe from a Bodybuilding forum so it's high protein, really healthy and perfect for any time of the day: as breakfast, a snack, lunch, dinner... midnight snack... you get the idea.

Happy baking!

~Ruthie

xoxo