Whole Wheat Honey Sweetened Banana Bread

This is one of Derick favorite things I make... he has many favorites... but I think this one is pretty high up there... on his diet he eats only 100% whole wheat and no processed sugar... so I adapt my favorite recipes with whole wheat flour and raw honey. They usually turn out delicious! When cooking with whole wheat I often find my recipes turn out dryer and more crumbly... but throw in honey... and they are moist and tasty! Whole wheat and Honey are the perfect marriage of ingredients.

This bread is more hearty and filling then its bleached flour cousin... also if you are not used to eating whole wheat it might taste a little denser and have a stronger wheat flavor. Derick and I both prefer whole wheat now that we have made the transition... I think it tastes more real... like I could be in the Little House on the Prairie and eat this bread...

Anywho... the inspiration: These beautifully ripe bananas I found at the Commissary for a buck!

Secret Ingredient (besides whole wheat flour and honey): Fresh Ground Nutmeg. I love nutmeg and this fresh ground nutmeg I found at an international foods store here in Japan is AMAZING!

Whole Wheat Honey Sweetend Banana Bread

(Adapted from Better Homes & Garden "The New Cookbook")

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 eggs, beaten

1 1/5 cups mashed ripe banana (5 medium)

3/4 cup honey

1/4 cup melted butter

1/4 chopped walnuts

1. Preheat oven 325. Grease 1 inch up sided of loaf pan and line bottom with parchment paper. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl combine flour, baking power, baking soda, salt cinnamon, and nutmeg. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture; set aside.

3. In a medium bowl combine eggs, banana, sugar and butter. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy). Fold in nuts.

4. Bake for 45-55 min. or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean (if necessary cover wit foil the last 15 minutes of baking to prevent over browning).

5. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 min. Remove from pan. Cool completely. Wrap; store overnight before slicing.