Scrumptious Vegan Banana Blueberry Bread

Happy New Year! To kick 2024 off right, we want to share one of Kelly’s Kitchen contributors, Donna Valente’s, vegan recipes with you!

Check out her recipe for the Scrumptious Vegan Banana Blueberry Bread below:

Tip: Don’t discard blackened bananas! Bake them into this delicous, naturally sweet, and healthy treat.

Chef Donna Valente’s Description: “Chewy crust, moist and tender middle, incredibly delicious when toasted!”

Cooking Tools Needed:

• Measuring cups (1/3 cup, 1/4 cup, 1 cup)

• Measuring spoons  (1 tablespoon, 1/2 teaspoon, 1/4 teaspoon)

• Mixing bowls (1 medium bowl and one small bowl)

• Wooden spoon

• Potato masher

• Rubber spatula (scraper)

• Loaf pan 9”

• Parchment paper

• Wooden toothpicks

• Oven mitts

• Cooling rack

Food Ingredients Needed:

• 3-4 very ripe medium size bananas

• 1 and 2/3 cups unbleached all purpose flour

• Cooking oil spray

• 2 Golden flax meal eggs [in small bowl or cup mix 2 tablespoons golden flax meal + 6 tablespoons water until well combined and set aside for 5 minutes]

• 1 cup Golden moreno vegan sugar

• 1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg

• 1/3 cup Plant butter

• 1 teaspoon Coarse ground pink Himalayan sea Salt

• 1/4 teaspoon Baking powder

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

• 1/3 cup Water (or coconut water)

• 3/4 cup chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts and or almonds work well)

• 3/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

• 3/4 cup fresh washed blueberries

• 2 tablespoons Agave

• 2 teaspoons Ground cinnamon

Baking Steps:

1. Preheated the oven to 350 degree F.

2. Prepare the 2 flax meal eggs [in a small bowl or cup mix 2 tablespoons golden flax meal + 6 tablespoons water until well combined and set aside for 5 minutes].

3. Peel and mash the 3-4 bananas in a small bowl.

4. Measure out and set aside 1/4 cup of chopped nuts.

5. Measure out and set aside 1/4 cup of shredded coconut.

6. Spray 9″ loaf pan with cooking spray.

7. Line the pan with parchment paper and press in close to all sides of pan so it overhangs the top edge.

8. Spray the parchment paper-lined pan again lightly with the cooking oil. This will make it VERY easy to get the banana blueberry bread out of the pan after it has cooled (last step).

9. In the medium mixing bowl mix 1/3 cup plant butter and 1 cup sugar.

10. Add 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract to the flax meal eggs (already made in a small bowl) and mix, then add to butter and sugar mixture (medium bowl) and mix well.

11. Add the mashed bananas (already mashed in a small bowl) and 1/3 cup of water (or coconut water if you are using that instead) to the medium bowl and mix for 30 seconds.

12. Add the 1 and 2/3 cups flour, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg to the medium bowl and mix well.

13. Add 1/2 cup of coconut to the medium bowl – mix well.

14. Add 1/2 cup of nuts to the medium bowl – mix well.

15. Add 3/4 cup of blueberries to the medium bowl – mix well.

16. Pour the mixture in the medium bowl carefully into the pre-sprayed loaf pan, trying to make it as even in the pan as possible.

17. Sprinkle the remaining coconut and nuts evenly over top of batter.

18. Drizzle the top of the unbaked batter with 2 tablespoons of agave.

19. Sprinkle the top of the unbaked batter with 2 teaspoons of cinnamon.

20. Bake in preheated 350 degree F oven for 55 minutes, or until the top of the blueberry banana loaf is a dark golden brown color.

21. Carefully insert a wooden toothpick into the center of the top of the loaf—if it is coated with batter when you pull the toothpick out, that means it needs more time in the oven. When you pull the toothpick out it  should be mostly clean – that’s when you know that it is done baking.

22. When the loaf is done, remove it from the oven using your oven mitts – it will be hot!) and set on a cooling rack for 15 minutes. If you do not have a cooking rack, set it on the stove top.

23. After cooking for 15 minutes, gently lift the blueberry banana loaf out of the pan by grabbing the parchment paper evenly on both sides and pulling up.

24. The loaf will slice better when cooled, so you can wait longer if you want to.

25. When you are ready to try a slice, cut off a piece and enjoy!

Please Note: Do not use any ingredients if you have an allergy to them.

Please Note: You do not have to use vegan butter or vegan sugar if you do not want to.

Please Note: If you are gluten free, simply buy the gluten free flour 1:1 ratio and use that instead.