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The beginning of the school year is by far the most exciting as a kid – arriving on that first day to catch up with all our friends after an exciting holiday, show-off our new lunch-boxes and school bags, and find out who our new teachers were. We’d then all look forward to our first break to open our lunch-boxes and see what little treats our mums would pack for us. I remember mum always packed us beautiful lunches – cheese sandwiches on freshly made bread, fruit, and always a baked treat (which all my friends would be very jealous of!).

Banana bread has always been one of my favourite treats, and is perfect for kid’s lunches! This recipe is inspired from Teresa Cutter’s Spelt + Honey Banana Bread. Bananas are a great source of energy, as well as potassium (important for blood pressure and heart function – and essential in the Rocky heat!). Wholemeal flour is also an important energy source with plenty of fibre to get through the afternoon slump. It’s also great as an afternoon snack when the kids come home from school – with a glass of cold milk, it’s a great combination of protein and carbohydrates needed for hungry growing bodies – Lizzie

Ingredients

450 g smashed ripe banana 2 eggs 120 g honey 100 g olive oil or macadamia nut oil 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract 2 teaspoons baking powder 175 g coconut, desiccated 180 g spelt flour, wholemeal

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 160 C (fan forced)
  2. Combine smashed banana, eggs, honey, baking powder, cinnamon, vanilla and oil into a large mixing bowl.
  1. Add coconut and spelt flour.
  2. Mix through until combined.
  3. Spoon bread mixture into a loaf tin, lined with baking paper. The size I used was: 10 1/2 cm wide and 26 cm long.
  4. Decorate the top of the bread by adding halved banana and brush tops with a little olive oil + melted honey.
  5. Bake for 1 hour or until the bread has cooked through.
  6. Cool completely in the tin before removing.
  7. Serve at room temperature or lightly toasted and enjoy.

 

I usually cut the bread into individual slices and freeze them in freezer bags – that way they’re all ready to throw in the lunchbox and are de-frosted by morning tea time!