Banana Pecan Breakfast Bread

I'm a huge fan of banana bread. In my opinion, it represents the epitome of comfort food. During my childhood, we had a rotation of various quick breads, including zucchini bread, carrot lemon bread, banana bread, and strawberry bread. I even had the honor of winning a blue ribbon for my carrot lemon bread at the state fair. However, when I went gluten-free ten years ago, it meant that I had to make some changes to my relationship with these beloved treats. Fortunately, there are still delicious ways to make quick breads without using traditional wheat-based flour.

This particular bread recipe utilizes oats to create a hearty and satisfying loaf. Throughout the years, I've made adjustments to this recipe by reducing the sweetness, aiming for the perfect balance between a sweet indulgence and a not-quite-dessert. Additionally, the optional addition of caraway seeds provides a subtle licorice undertone that complements the banana flavor.

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BANANA Pecan BREAKFAST BREAD

Author: Erica Leazenby, MD
Yields: 1 large loaf or 4 small loaves (12 servings)
Time: approximately 1.5 hours

Ingredients:

• 2 cups toasted pecan pieces

• 2 cups gluten-free oats

• 4 ripe bananas, broken into 2-inch segments

• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil, plus extra for greasing the pan

• 2 eggs*

• 1/2 cup maple syrup

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Optional additions:

• 1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds

• Approximately 2 ounces dark chocolate chips

• Extra banana slices for garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (or 325 degrees for a convection oven). Lightly grease your pan(s) with coconut oil and line with parchment paper.

2. Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and toast them for about 7-8 minutes, or until they become fragrant and slightly browned. Set them aside to cool.

3. While the pecans are toasting, place the oats in the bowl of a food processor**. Pulse the oats until they form a coarse flour-like texture.

4. Add the bananas, melted coconut oil, eggs, maple syrup, baking powder, salt, and caraway seeds (if using) to the oat flour in the food processor. Process the ingredients until they are well combined.

5. Lastly, incorporate the toasted pecans into the batter. Pulse the food processor 2-3 times to mix in the nuts. Be careful not to overmix. Alternatively, you can manually mix in the pecans.

6. Pour half of the batter into the prepared loaf pan(s). Sprinkle half of the chocolate chips onto the batter, then add the remaining batter to the pan. Garnish with the remains chocolate and banana slices, if desired.

7. Bake a single loaf pan for 60-75 minutes or 4 mini loaves for 50-60 minutes. The bread is ready when it turns brown, feels firm to the touch, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Alternatively, the bread is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 200 degrees Fahrenheit, as measured by an instant-read thermometer.

8. Allow the bread to cool before slicing.

Notes:

*To make this recipe vegan, substitute 1/4 cup of nut milk for the eggs.
**No food processor? Simple mix by hand. Make sure the bananas are mashed well. The bread with have a firmer consistency like baked oats.

A PRIMER ON GLUTEN-FREE FLOURS
RED VELVET WAFFLES