Passionate Perseverance: banana applesauce bread...

I have been trying to clean up my act in the kitchen lately by using more whole grains and natural ingredients to help my family eat healthier. I had a ton of bananas that needed to be used so I took the opportunity this weekend to try one of my newer cookbooks, The Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook by Tosca Reno. I have to admit that it turned out pretty well. The bread was moist and very dense. I loved the hints of cinnamon and vanilla in the background. Add that to the orange zest and it just comes alive with fresh flavor. It really lightened the whole grain taste of the flour. I also used dried blueberries instead of raisins. Sweet! Of course the slather of cream cheese probably didn't help the overall calorie count but it sure was tasty!

Mary

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Banana Applesauce Bread

from The Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook by Tosca Reno

(I doubled the recipe to make two loaves. One for now and one to freeze)

Ingredients

1 cup All purpose flour

1/2 cup Whole-wheat flour

1/2 cup Amarenth flour or flour of your choice

(I used buckwheat flour)

1/2 cup Packed brown sugar

1 tbsp Baking powder

1 tsp Cinnamon

1/2 tsp Baking soda

4 Egg whites, beaten until fluffy

1 cup Mashed bananas

1/2 cup Buttermilk or skim milk soured with 1 Tbsp lemon juice

1/3 cup Unsweetened applesauce

1 tsp Vanllia

1/2 cup Walnuts

1/2 cup Raisins (I used dried blueberries)

1 tbsp Orange zest

Cooking spray

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly coast 9x5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray and dust with flour.

In large bowl combine dry ingrediants. In another medium bowl, beat egg whites until fluffy. Then pour bananas, buttermilk (or soured milk), applesauce and vanilla into a large bowl.

Add dry ingrediants to wet and mix until just blended. Fold in egg whites, then add walnuts, raisins and grated orange zest. Pour into prepared loaf pan. Bake for 55 minutes.