Every now and then I wind up with overly ripe, brown bananas, which I really don’t care for. Instead of throwing them away, I like to make banana-pineapple muffins (see my earlier post at: https://kelleychisholm.com/2012/01/19/banana-pineapple-muffins/) or else a more traditional banana bread. I make mine with nuts, but you can certainly leave them out if you have allergies or just don’t like them. For this loaf I included dates and switched the butter I normally use with some chunky applesauce. The result? A lower-fat and wonderfully moist bread that kids and adults will devour.

Ingredients (makes 1 loaf)

• 2/14 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Fresh nutmeg (several grates on a microplane)
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup applesauce (I used chunky cinnamon)
• 4 ripe bananas
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• ¾ cup dates, chopped small
• 1 cup walnuts, chopped small (you may substitute pecans)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease (I use cooking spray) and lightly flour a 9×3 inch loaf pan (use a 9×5 inch pan if you want the top of the bread to be more even.)

Mash the bananas until they are mushy (I use a potato masher for this step.)

In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar.

Add the eggs, applesauce, bananas and vanilla extract, and stir until mixed well.

Stir in the dates and nuts.

Pour the batter into the pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes or so, until a toothpick stuck in the middle of the loaf comes out clean.

Remove from the pan and let cool on a baking rack.

This banana bread is so moist that it great by itself. Or, for an extra special treat, spread it with some cream cheese. Yum! You’ll go ape over it!

Bon appétit!

Eat, drink and be merry!

Follow Kel’s Café on Twitter at http://twitter.com/kelscafe