Quick and easy, with no added sugar, just natural sweetness from fresh dates and bananas, this loaf keeps well in the freezer and is a tasty way to use up any ripe bananas languishing in your fruit bowl. Recipe by our WW Ambassador Sarah.
Preheat oven to 180°C. Lightly spray a 10cm x 20cm loaf tin with oil and line with baking paper. Combine dates and 1 tablespoon boiling water in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover and microwave on High (100%) for 1 minute. Mash dates with a fork.
Put all ingredients into the TM Bowl LEAVE ONE BANANA FOR THE TOP OF THE LOAF
Place on lid and MC 20 Seconds | Speed 4
Spoon mixture into prepared tin and smooth surface with back of a spoon. Slice remaining banana in half lengthways and arrange over top of loaf. Bake for 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Set loaf aside in tin for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool. Cut into 12 slices and serve.
CONVENTIONAL METHOD
Preheat oven to 180°C. Lightly spray a 10cm x 20cm loaf tin with oil and line with baking paper. Combine dates and 1 tablespoon boiling water in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover and microwave on High (100%) for 1 minute. Mash dates with a fork.
Process oats, 4 bananas, eggs, vanilla, baking powder, cinnamon and date mixture in a food processor until smooth.
Spoon mixture into prepared tin and smooth surface with back of a spoon. Slice remaining banana in half lengthways and arrange over top of loaf. Bake for 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Set loaf aside in tin for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool. Cut into 12 slices and serve.
Notes
Keep loaf in a reusable container for up to 2 days.TO FREEZE: Store sliced loaf, with baking paper between each slice, in a reusable container for up to 2 months. Thaw slices at room temperature, or microwave from frozen.VARIATIONS
Stir through a ¼ cup (25g) walnuts just before putting into baking pan
Swap ground cinnamon for mixed spice.
Swap banana for 2 x apples (blitz in TM for 5 seconds speed 5 then start with the thermomix version recipe)