Name: Healthy banana bread
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: Serves 12
Ingredients: 2 tbsp chia seeds; 220g wholemeal self-raising flour; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda; 100g maple syrup; 80g coconut oil melted, plus extra for the tin; 3 bananas 2 mashed, 1 left whole; 3 tbsp dairy-free milk; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 50g desiccated coconut

A loaf of banana bread with two slices ready to serve

2 tbsp chia seeds
220g wholemeal self-raising flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
100g maple syrup
80g coconut oil
melted, plus extra for the tin
3 bananas
2 mashed, 1 left whole
3 tbsp dairy-free milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
50g desiccated coconut

Method

step 1
Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Oil and line a 900g loaf tin.
step 2
Put the chia seeds in a small bowl with 75ml of water. Stir and leave to thicken for 5 minutes. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, bicarb and ½ tsp of fine sea salt.
step 3
Reserve 1 tbsp of the maple syrup and put the rest in a large bowl along with the oil. Whisk together. Add the chia seeds and whisk again until combined. Add the mashed bananas, milk and vanilla extract, and give it a final whisk.
step 4
Using a silicone spatula, fold in the flour mixture – be careful not to over-mix, a few lumps are fine. Fold in the coconut until just combined.
step 5
Pour the batter into the loaf tin and level it out. Thickly slice the remaining banana lengthwise and arrange on top. Brush with the remaining maple syrup then bake for 50-55 minutes. The top of the loaf should be deeply golden and a skewer inserted into the middle should come out clean. Let the bread cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then use the baking paper to lift the loaf onto a wire rack to cool before slicing.