Banana Bread with a Crunch

Getting banana bread just right is not as easy as one would think. Specially if you prefer it without chocolate (chips), like I do. But in the long run, what really makes all the difference is using pure, preferably organic produce.

I went through trial and error and I am quite happy to share the result!

Ingredients

(for 12 medium sized slices)

•2 medium ripe bananas, mashed
•2 tbsp of melted coconut oil
•1 tbsp of coconut oil (for greasing)
•2 + 1 tbsp of agave nectar
•1 tbsp of (real!) vanilla extract
•3 medium sized eggs
•100 g of almond flour
•50 g of coconut flour
•1 1/2 tsp of baking soda
•1/2 tsp of sea salt
•1 tsp of allspice
•40 g of chopped walnuts

What you do
•preheat the oven to 175°C
•grease a loaf pan of 12 x 28 cm with coconut oil
•in a blender, whip up the eggs and then reduce the speed and add the wet ingredients until everything is well combined
•mix the dry ingredients together first and then add to the wet mixture
•now pour everything into the baking loaf pan
(the mixture will be thick and you will need to smooth it evenly with a rubber spatula of the back of a tablespoon)
•now bathe the chopped walnuts with 1 tbs of agave and with your hand, sprinkle it evenly over the top
•place the loaf pan in the middle of the oven and bake for approximately 30 minutes (till the mixture is dry in the inside)

Notes
•why agave nectar instead of honey? 
Agave nectar has a lower GI than honey and is therefore healthier for you
Honey will caramelize in the oven; this will make your cakes look dark in the inside and give it a bit of a 'burnt' aftertaste....
•what if you cannot find agave nectar in your region?
Try maple tree syrup if you are in North America; in South America I have experimented with lemon tree syrup and this works well too. You would think the citrus taste would be overwhelming but it is not...

Creamy Parsnip Chowder

In winter, a creamy chowder is my comfort food! Soups are easy to make and will really stand out when you make them yourself, from scratch.

If you own a (Vitamix®) blender, it is very easy to accomplish a wonderful creaminess without the use of a single drop of dairy! 


Ingredients
(serves 4 to 6)

•4 tbsp of coconut oil
•1 large (sweet) onion, peeled and chopped
•250 g of carrots, peeled and chopped
•500 g of parsnips, peeled and chopped
•a dice-size piece of ginger, peeled and chopped
•1 level tsp of grated orange grind
•750 ml of vegetable stock
•freshly ground fresh pepper
•fresh coriander to garnish

What you do
•melt the coconut in a large saucepan over low heat
•add the chopped onion and stir until soft
•add carrot, parsnip and stir for approx. 5 minutes (unit the vegetables have soften a little)
•now add the ginger, the orange rind and stock
•bring everything to a boil, add the pepper and then reduce the heat
•simmer for 45 minutes
•remove from the heat and after letting it cool down for 15 minutes, transfer the soup to your blender and whizz until very smooth
•rinse your original sauce pan and return the soup to the pan
•reheat the soup if necessary over a very low heat
•ladle the soup into soup bowls
•garnish your parsnip soup with a sprig of coriander


Suggestion
Serve with homemade crackers!