Banana Macadamia Chocolate Chip Bread
This banana macadamia chocolate chip bread is made without refined sugar. It is naturally sweetened with ripe bananas and dates. I love trying to recreate recipes with better for me ingredients and especially when I can reduce or even eliminate how much sugar is in a recipe. I got this date syrup from Trader Joes and have been loving using it in baked goods. Although dates are a source of fructose, the form of carbohydrates found in most fruits, they also have fiber and many other micronutrients including potassium, iron, magnesium, and manganese, zinc, and B vitamins. Due to the fiber content in the dates, it helps prevent a spike in blood glucose like refined white sugar would do. White sugar also does not provide any of the micronutrients that dates do and are really just empty calories that will leave you feeling sluggish later. With dates, you also can use a lesser amount because they are such a concentrated source of fructose.
So I got this big bag of macadamia nuts from Costco and have been loving them as a snack. But let’s be honest, it’s a huge bag and I was thinking of other ways to use them instead of just snacking on them. My inspiration came from thinking about the banana macadamia pancakes you get in Hawaii and then I added chocolate chips obviously because I personally think chocolate can make most things better! I also really want to go to Hawaii now, especially because it has been an especially cold and rainy winter. For now though I’ll keep making this bread and enjoy my little slice of island served warm with butter!
Ingredients:
3 ripe bananas
2 eggs
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
3 tablespoons date syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour (can sub gluten-free flour belend)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup macadamia nuts, chopped
6 - 8 dates, chopped
1/3 cup mini chocolate chips (I used Enjoy Life mini chocolate chips)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat loaf pan with a little bit of melted coconut oil. Set pan aside.
In a large bowl, mash ripe bananas. Then add in eggs, coconut oil, date syrup, and vanilla extract. Mix to combine.
Add in dry ingredients - flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Stir to combine, but avoid over-mixing.
Stir in macadamia nuts, dates, and chocolate chips.
Pour batter into loaf pan. Bake in preheated oven for 40 - 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool. Serve warm with butter!
