Who Wants Some Banana Bread?

Seeing as how I'm trying to prevent myself from checking accuweather for the 5 billionth time today (high of 77 on race day?! Yikes!), I figured I should make good on my promise to Heather at Trials of Training . . . and post my infamous "healthy" banana bread recipe!

Now in the interest of full disclosure, it does taste a teensy bit "healthy". If you're used to buttery, sugary banana bread, it's not going to taste THAT good to you. But still, it tastes REALLY freaking good . . . especially for something that's not all that bad for you! I personally think that it tastes delicious enough that I never need to make "real" banana bread ever again! And the great thing is that it is very moist, which is the biggest complaint I've heard about "healthy" breads like this. If you happen to have any over-ripe bananas laying around, don't throw them out! Make this bread! :)

INGREDIENTS:

1/3 cup applesauce
1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
4 mashed bananas
1/2 cup flaxseed
1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup hot water
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

2. In a large bowl, beat applesauce and honey together. Add eggs, and mix well. Stir in bananas, vanilla and flax seed.

3. In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients (flour, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon). When well-mixed, fold dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients.

4. Add baking soda to hot water, stir to mix, and then add to batter. Blend in chopped nuts if using.

5. Spread batter into a greased 9x5 inch loaf pan. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes (but check as soon as 40 minutes--baking times can vary). Cool on wire rack for 1/2 hour before slicing.

Enjoy!