Banana Nut Oat Bread

Banana Nut Oat Bread

While I prefer my banana breads to be moist, sometimes its too consistent even with walnuts.  Here I have mixed the texture and flavor a little more by adding blue corn meal to the batter and topping with crunchy grape nuts.  I've intentionally cut out a bunch of the sugar and butter to make it healthier but I leave it to you if you choose to add more.

Makes: 1 loaf (10-12 servings)
Time: 45 min - 1 hr

Ingredients:

3/4 cup unbleached white flour
1/2 cup blue corn meal (add more if desired, change out with white flour)
1 cup oats
1/4 cup brown sugar (or more if you prefer)
2 bananas mashed (1 cup)
1/2 cup walnuts crushed
1/2 cup yogurt or sour cream
2 eggs
2 Tbsp butter, softened (or more if you prefer)
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon

topping

1/4 cup grape nuts
1/4 walnuts
1/4 cup oats
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350º F and grease bread pan
• Combine flour, corn meal, oats, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and walnuts into a medium sized bowl.
• In a separate bowl mix together brown sugar, butter, bananas, yogurt, and vanilla
• Mix together both bowls and place batter into bread pan
• Combine topping ingredients in a small bowl and top the batter in the bread pan with mixture
• Bake for 30 minutes in the oven
• Let cool for 15-20 minutes.  I used some plastic wrap to cover the top of the bread so that the topping didn't fall off while removing from the pan.  

Alternatives:

• add zucchini or carrots
• try topping with other crunchy ingredients (e.g. crushed graham crackers)
• use honey instead of brown sugar for the batter