{recipe} Crackly Millet Banana Bread

Apparently there are a lot of reason to make banana bread: I only have two - 1.) the bananas pretty much reached their life's expectancy and needed to be used, 2.) Ian loves bananas.  So I began searching for banana bread recipes - but I found very few recipes that peaked my interested - so instead I pulled different ingredients from different recipes - and voila - a banana bread we can feel good about.  Full of nutrient dense ingredients.  The banana bread gets the crackle from the uncooked millet, this adds a nice little crunch.  It can be found in most grocery stores, health food stores or even online.

CRACKLY MILLET BANANA BREAD:
* makes 1 standard size loaf (4.5 x 8.5 inch loaf pan)

2 large ripe-to-over-ripe bananas
1 large egg
1/3 cup coconut oil, liquefied
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking soda (Bob's Red Mill is my favorite brand)
1 tsp baking powder (make sure is it aluminium free)
1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (I use King Arthur white whole wheat flour)
1/4 cup raw millet
butter, honey, and/or jam for serving.

* I recommend using organic/grass-fed/high quality ingredients from reputable companies when feasible.

Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare a 9x5 inch loaf pan with butter.

In the bottom of a large bowl mash the banana with the back of fork until almost completely smooth (it is ok it a few tiny lumps remain.)  Whisk in the egg, coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract.  Now sprinkle the baking soda, baking powder, celtic sea salt, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground cloves over the banana mixture, and stir to combine.  Then stir in the whole wheat flour just until combined, then add the millet.

Pour the banana bread mixture into the prepared loaf pan.  Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until a cake tester placed in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Cool the loaf in the bread pan on a wire cooling rack from 10 minutes, and then transfer the loaf onto the cooling rack.

Keep in an airtight container or tightly wrapped in plastic wrap on the counter for up to 1 week.  The banana bread will become more moist with each day.

Freezer friendly: This banana bread loaf freezes beautifully.  Wrap the loaf tightly in plastic wrap and then put the tightly wrapped loaf into a labeled (date and content) freezer zipper bag.  Freeze for up to 3 months.