Mandarin Orange Banana Nut Bread

Code Removed

We are t-minus a week away from Christmas day and I don't know about you guys, but I'm sort of freaking out! I'm still mailing presents (I know, I know, last minute lady over here) I still need to pick up my Prime Rib, and I still have no clue what to get Shane for Christmas! The man wants nothing! Well, except one thing, but were not there yet. 😉

It would seem Christmas came faster than ever this year. In fact, I'm still feeling like we are just wrapping up last year so I'm not sure how we are nearly in the New Year. Time flies! 2017 flew past me and I'm doing everything I can to catch up. I feel like this is the new normal now. Life speeds by and I'm still over here like, hey can we go backwards?

Well, if you're anything like me and feeling a tad overwhelmed, you should take some time for yourself and make my delicious Mandarin Orange Banana Nut Bread. It's a healthier version of traditional banana bread without all of the oils and refined sugar. Plus, my banana bread is a hit at holiday parties and makes for a delicious breakfast or a pick me up snack between all of the shopping and cooking.

For this recipe, I use almond flour and you also swap that for whole-wheat flour if you prefer. The banana bread still comes out every bit as delicious and fluffy as it would with using traditional flour. I prefer using almond flour though but use the flour of your choice. It should be noted though that in this recipe the dry and wet ingredients are mixed at different times to get the best consistency. For example, I add the cacao nibs, pumpkin seeds, and walnuts at the very end before I pour the batter into the baking pan. I also top my batter with sliced bananas but this is completely optional and based on your personal preference. 

Pair my delicious mandarin orange banana nut bread with some fresh orange jam or top it with some honey drizzle! This is sure to be a hit at the breakfast and dessert table. 

And remember friends; take some time out of the hustle and bustle of this crazy holiday season to enjoy some time for yourself. Maybe with a hot cup of coffee and a slice of warm mandarin orange banana bread. 🙂 

Check out the full recipe video here! https://www.youtube.com/embed/f17UrFRhZdI?wmode=opaque&enablejsapi=1Code Removedprint recipeMandarin Orange Banana Nut Breadby Genevieve December-19-2017This is a super easy and super healthy banana bread to make with your super ripe bananas! This would be the perfect Holiday morning treat and would work wonderfully as a gift!Ingredients

• 3 cups Almond Flour
• 1 teaspoon Himalayan Sea-Salt
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 ½ cups Ripe Bananas
• 2 Eggs
• 1 tablespoon Cacao Powder
• 2 teaspoons Cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons Pumpkin Seeds
• ⅓ cup Chopped Walnuts
• 2 tablespoons Cacao Nibs
• 1 tablespoon Vanilla Extract
• ½ cup Coconut Oil
• 2 tablespoons Honey
• ½ cup Maple Syrup
• 2 whole oranges Mandarin Oranges
• Optional Sliced Bananas

InstructionsPreheat Oven to 325-degrees Mix the flour, sea-salt, and baking soda, set asideIn a medium mixing bowl, mash the bananas, set asideIn a large bowl combine the eggs, cacao powder, and maple-syrupNext, add the mashed bananas to the egg mixture and combine with the flour, sea-salt, and baking sodaOnce everything is combined, add the pumpkin seeds, cacao nibs, walnuts, cinnamon, vanilla extract, coconut oil, and honey and combine again. Don't worry about over-mixing and remember some clumps are okay.Add the batter to the greased loaf pan and add the mandarin orange slices, more cinnamon, and banana slices for the topping (the toppings are completely optional)Bake at 325-degrees for 45 minutes-60 minutes, or until a fork inserted in the center comes out clean.Let bread cool for at least 15-minutes before slicingDetailsPrep time: 15 minsCook time: 45 minsTotal time: 1 hourYield: 8 servings