Three months ago I was in the most comfortable little groove. I had a full-time job that was pretty comfy, I went to the gym 4 days a week, ate salads, drank green smoothies most days and had time for most of the things I wanted to do. But I was bored. I’m not good at being comfy. I wish I was. An opportunity presented itself for a really serious wine job, so I went for it. And I got it. Terribly exciting. Overwhelmingly terrifying. It has only gotten worse, two months in and I am just beginning to realise how much there is to learn and how far I have to go.
The first few weeks I forgot to eat, during the day at least (don’t worry, I made up for it at night). I needed to find something I could easily take with me that didn’t need refrigeration or a microwave. My New Roots Life-changing Loaf was life-saving but I needed to mix it up a bit. I needed something nourishing and healthy but also yummy enough to prevent me from buying snacks along the way.
This is what I came up with…
Buckwheat Banana Bread with Berries
I love a bit of alliteration.
Absolutely packed with nutrients; almost half fruit, no refined sugar, plenty of protein from yoghurt, nuts and seeds and a rich source of minerals and fibre from the buckwheat flour, as well as being gluten-free. Plus how pretty is it!?! That little burst of colour from the berries and pepitas help you forget just how healthy it is.
I often bake a loaf on the weekend, slice and freeze (after eating a couple of slices fresh from the oven). Even on the mornings I am running late (I am always running late) I can grab a couple of slices, whack them in the toaster so the edges go crunchy and run out the door. The almond meal and yoghurt keeps the bread moist enough that it is also delicious wrapped straight from the freezer the night before, and allowed to defrost in time for lunch.
Best of all, it can be whipped up in just one bowl in less than 10 minutes (plus baking time). If only adjusting to my new job was that easy… 🙂
- 2 large bananas
- 2/3 cup greek yoghurt
- 1/3 cup almond meal
- 1/3 cup coconut
- 1/3 cup pepitas
- 1/3 cup macadamias or walnuts, chopped
- 2 Tbsp oil (I use coconut or rice bran)
- 1 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1 cup buckwheat flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- Pinch of salt (optional)
- 1/2 cup frozen raspberries
- 2 Tbsp hazelnuts, chopped
- Preheat oven to 180C
- Grease and line a loaf tin
- Mash bananas in a large bowl
- Add yoghurt, almond meal, pepitas, nuts, coconut, oil, maple syrup, salt (optional) and stir to combine.
- Sift together buckwheat flour and baking powder.
- Still in flour until just combined. Add frozen berries and fold through.
- Pour into prepared tin, sprinkle with hazelnuts, and bake for 40-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Oh boy, this sounds tasty! I’m reading the recipe at work and the ladies in my office have made me send them all a copy! I like a good cake loaf, and bonus points for the health benefits! I’m very much enjoying your recipes lately Nicole, keep them coming! x
This looks so good Nicole and so nutritious love the addition of berries. Its good to give your self challenges at work just remember to play hard on your days off to make up for it.
That looks UHMAZING. It looks and sounds like cake but so healthy! I’m actually salivating looking at it.
Banana bread is my biggest weakness so I will definitely give this a go, would be perfect for the 3pm sugar craving. Glad to hear you are finding the new job challenging and interesting!
Sounds right up my alley. I love making a healthy loaf that can double as both “meal” and dessert. Nice work!
Oh, my stars, this is awesome. Thank you, I just had to pin it so I can make it x
Pinned! Looks gorgeous Nicole and will give you loads of energy at work for sure.
This looks delicious! I love a banana bread that’s wonderfully dense like this – I imagine it makes the best toast too.
This looks awesome! I have all the ingredients except buckwheat flour, so I might have to go get myself some!
This looks so delicious and bonus, it’s nutritious too!
Nicole this looks so good! Love that it’s a meal you eat on the run, I need this in my life, so much.
Congratulations on the new job, good for you. xx
No way! Food again?!?! 😉 Have I already said that I am really hungry? :))) This bread looks amazing and I will definitely try to make it!! Thanks for a great inspiration!! And for the recipe 🙂 Cheers!!
PS and ofc CONGRATULATIONS!! And good luck with new job – I hope this is what you want to do and it brings a lot of fun 🙂 regards!!
It certainly is what I have wanted to do for a long time. I think that is why i have been putting such enormous amounts of energy in, I really want to achieve.
Hi, I just made your lovely gluten-free banana bread and wanted to say it was really tasty! I enjoyed mine spread with a little almond butter. I also wanted to ask you, would you suggest refrigerating it after it has been sliced and wrapped in cling wrap and placed in a container? Or do you think it would be okay in an airtight container on the benchtop in the kitchen? And if so for how many days do you think it would last without freezing it? Thank you so much.