One-Bowl Banana Bread with Walnuts (Vegan)

Too many ripe bananas is always a good thing in my opinion.  I either chop them up and freeze them for smoothies/ "nice cream" or make. . . banana bread!  This recipe is easy, nutty, and perfectly moist with an occasional walnut crunch.  You can't really go wrong with this recipe as you are 1. getting rid of those too ripe bananas; 2. making only one bowl dirty (less dishes, hooray!); and, 3. ending up with a delicious loaf to enjoy alone or with your favorite plant butter.  

Hate walnuts? Omit them or substitute a different nut.  Don't be afraid to experiment - sub coconut, raisins, or chocolate chips!

Want a healthier version?  Check out my No Sugar No Oil Banana Bread with Chopped Apricots.  Super delicious, without the guilt!

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon flax seed meal
3 tablespoons water
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
3 overripe bananas, mashed (spottier and riper = better)
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped (sub another nut or omit)

Instructions:

Following these instructions exactly will provide the best results.

1. In a bowl, prepare your flax egg by combining the flax seed meal with water.  Let sit for five minutes.
2. Add the melted coconut oil, mashed bananas, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla, baking soda, and salt.   Mix well.
3. Add the flour in 1/2 cup increments, mixing just enough to blend the ingredients.  There is no need to over-mix.
4. Add the chopped walnuts and mix.
5. Pour the batter in a 9x5 greased loaf pan (you can also use parchment paper).  
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 60-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the loaf comes out clean.
7. Remove from the oven and allow the loaf to cool for at least 30 minutes, prior to removing from the pan.
8. Remove from the pan and slice with a bread knife.
9.  Enjoy alone or with your favorite plant butter!  If you have any leftovers, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

#halahbakes

Persimmon Bread (Vegan, No Oil, Sweetened with Fruit)

Have you ever tried a fuyu persimmon? They are sweet and crunchy when they are hard, or pudding like when they are soft.  But, my favorite thing to do with persimmons is to bake with them!

Why create this recipe? Because my dad has persimmon trees in his yard and we had over 300 persimmons to consume! Hopefully, this recipe will come to the aid of persimmon tree owners and persimmon lovers! Your family and friends will gobble this deliciousness right before your eyes!

PS This recipe is for TWO loaves of bread, but can easily be halved.

Ingredients:

2 flax eggs (2 tablespoons ground flaxseed mixed with 6 tablespoons water)
1 tablespoon vanilla
3 cups ripe fuyu persimmon pureed without peels (around 6 to 8 persimmons)
3 to 6 medjool dates *for your preference of additional sweetness*
3/4 cups almond milk
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cinnamon
3 cups all purpose flour
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup raisins
1/4 cup oil *optional*

Instructions:

Following these instructions exactly will provide the best results.

1. Prepare your flax eggs in a small bowl by combining 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed with 6 tablespoons of water. Let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes.
2. In a blender or food processor, blend the vanilla, pureed persimmons, and medjool dates until you get a fairly smooth consistency. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine the baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and all purpose flour together.
4. Add the pureed persimmon mixture, the almond milk, flax eggs, and the optional oil into the flour mixture and mix well so that there are no flour clumps.
5. Fold in the raisins and chopped walnuts.
6. Divide the batter evenly between two oiled bread loaf pans.
7. Bake for 60 minutes at 350 degrees or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center of the loaves comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes and then turn out to cool further.
8. Slice with a bread knife, and enjoy! Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.

#halahbakes

Purple Sweet Potato Bread (Vegan)

I always have admired breads gushing with natural color. So I tried it out and hooray! This is it! I purchased purple sweet potatoes from my local Asian market, boiled them, mushed them, and added them into my go-to bread recipe. And, bam! Purple, moist, crunchy-crusted, soft, and delicious bread! Note: the sweet potato flavor is very light in this recipe. If you are looking for more of a sweet potato flavor or for a darker purple color, you may want to experiment with this recipe by altering the almond milk to sweet potato ratio.

As with my last recipe post for Onion and Pepper Bread, this recipe does require an extra deep dish pan to boil water. This  pan will go below the baking tray to create steam. Thus, you get the amazing crispy crust on your bread, but a totally soft inside! 

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons yeast
1 and 1/2 cups almond milk (or any other milk)
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 and 1/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
2 tablespoons salt
2 cups boiled, peeled, and mushed purple sweet potato
Additional flour for dusting
4 cups of water for boiling (not to be used in bread)

Instructions:

Following these instructions exactly will provide the best results.

1. Combine almond milk (about 110 degrees - the temperature of bath water) with yeast in a large mixing bowl and let set for 5 minutes to get foamy. If your yeast does not get foamy, this means your almond milk was too hot and/or that your yeast is no longer active.
2. In a large bowl, combine the whole wheat flour, all purpose flour,  and salt. Mix the dry ingredients well.
3. Add in the foamy yeast milk and knead the dough until thoroughly mixed.
4. Add in the mushed sweet potato. I recommend mushing the sweet potato in a food processor so that you don't have large chunks of potato in your bread. Knead for another five minutes until the sweet potato is thoroughly mixed in with the dough. 
5. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 hour.
6. Once the dough has doubled in size, lightly sprinkle the dough with additional flour and transfer to a generously floured work surface. Knead the dough a few times and add flour or water as needed (such that the dough is slightly tacky, but I would not mess around with the proportions of the current recipe too much).
7. Roll your dough into a ball and place on a baking sheet. Sift a light coating of flour over the top to help keep the dough moist. Let the dough sit for 5 to 10 minutes.
8. Preheat your oven to 450°F, fill a metal or cast iron pan (not glass, Pyrex, or ceramic) with the 4 cups of water, and place on the lowest oven rack.
9. When the oven is ready, slash the bread 2 or 3 times with a knife or blade, making a cut about 1/2 inch deep.
10. Place the bread tray on the middle rack, above the rack with the pan now containing boiling water. Close the oven door quickly.
11. Bake the bread for 35 to 45 minutes or until golden brown and crusty.
12. Remove the bread from the oven and cool. Enjoy! Once fully cooled, store leftovers in a plastic bag at room temperature.


#halahbakes