Those of us with a sweet tooth can find it hard to resist sugary snacks, so that's why I always have homemade sugar-free snacks in my pantry. Sometimes light snacks such as nuts or vegetable crisps/chips just don't satisfy that craving for fullness, so a few slices of something sweet and cakey can fulfill that desire perfectly.
When I was trying to lose weight last year after my son was born one of the things I struggled with most was hunger, and it drove me crazy, as I desperately wanted to lose weight, yet I couldn't stop thinking about being hungry! Argh! Thankfully I created a recipe for Banana and Date Loaf which doesn't require sugar as the sweetness comes from ripe bananas and dates. I ate a couple of slices for supper every evening, and managed to lose 3 stone in 5 months. Sure that wouldn't have happened if I'd been munching on a couple of chocolate bars every evening, which is exactly what I used to do! I also created lovely recipes for Apple and Cinnamon Loaf, and Fig and Almond Loaf. All very similar ingredients, but different flavours of course, which stops me getting bored with eating the same things all the time! This recipe for gingerbread is my favourite yet... a beautifully moist cakey loaf with deliciously crunchy nutty topping, bliss! In fact, this is exactly what I'm having for my supper just as soon as I've posted this! I hope you enjoy it too :-)
What you will need: (makes 2 loaves)
4 ripe bananas
100g coconut oil
100g butter
4 large free-range eggs
4 tblsp honey
2 tsp baking soda
4 tblsp ground ginger
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup milk
200g dates
100g coarse wholewheat flour
400g fine wholewheat flour
50g chopped hazelnuts
Cinnamon to top
Method:
Mash the bananas and set aside.
Melt the coconut oil and butter together in a pan on low heat.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until light and fluffy.
Add the mashed bananas, oil and butter, honey, water, milk, baking soda and ginger, and whisk.
Finely chop the dates and add to the bowl.
Add both kinds of flour and whisk again.
Grease two loaf tins and divide the mixture equally between them.
Sprinkle on the chopped hazelnuts and press down into the mixture with a spoon, so that they don't fall off once baked.
Finally sprinkle cinnamon over the top, and pop into a preheated oven at 170 degrees Celsius for 45-50 minutes.
Leave in the tins for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack, and allow to cool before slicing.
Enjoy on its own or with a little butter. Yummy :-)
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Many thanks.
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