Recipe: Banana Maple Loaf

INGEREDIENTS

3 large ripe-to-over-ripe bananas

1 large egg

1/3 cup olive oil

1/3 cup light brown sugar

1/3 cup maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon table salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 1/2 cups white wholewheat flour

Handful of dark chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees. Butter and line a 9×5-inch loaf pan.

In the bottom of a large bowl, mash the bananas with a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon until smooth but a few tiny lumps remain. With a hand whisk, whisk in the egg, then the oil, brown sugar, syrup and vanilla extract.

Sprinkle the baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg over the mixture and stir until combined. Stir in the flour until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips, if using. Pour mixture into the prepared loaf pan and bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 40 to 50 minutes. Cool loaf in pan on rack.

Anjalina Chugani was born in London but moved to Bangalore in India when she was 15; since 2000, she has been living in Barcelona where she works as an English teacher. A self-taught cook, she organises Social Suppers in the meeatings23 space, and has a blog for recipes and food photography, www.rainbowspoon.com. Get in touch with her at: rainbowspoonfood@gmail.com