Banana Oat Bread (another SRC bonus!)

I am such a softie. If I hear that there's an orphaned blog for a Secret Recipe Club reveal, I just can't let it sit.  And when it was announced that an awesome blogger (no name given at the time - literally posted as "an awesome blogger!") had no post for the day, I just had to volunteer.

And when the host sent me over to Cook with Sara, I quickly knew that it was no exaggeration. Since this was for a fast turnaround, I was looking for a recipe that I could make, well, quickly, but I will definitely be returning to choose more recipes to try when I have more time to plan (and when dinner isn't already in the crock pot for the day!).

I first thought I'd go with her banana bread, since we love banana bread in our house, but then I saw a different variation - Banana Oat Bread. The deliciousness of banana bread with the wholesome goodness of oatmeal baked right in. Score!

As a quick-bread, this came together super easily.

Combine the dry ingredients...

...have any available six year old come and mash some bananas...

...combine the wet ingredients...

...and pour into a loaf pan! In my case, I also chose to sprinkle the top with demerara sugar. Just because.

And then the whole thing bakes, making the house smell delicious.  When it's all golden and tests done, all you have to do is let it cool without sneaking a taste. Or having the kids sneak tastes. That's probably the hardest part...

But it was worth the wait! Delicious, and with a really great texture and heartiness, due to the oatmeal, this was a really yummy version of banana bread.

Oh yes, this will probably be breakfast tomorrow. Did I say probably? Yeah... definitely!



Banana Oat Bread
(from Cook with Sara)

1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup rolled oats

1/3 cup buttermilk (I used coconut milk)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla

1 cup mashed banana (2-3 bananas)

Preheat oven to 350 and spray a loaf pan with cooking spray.

Combine all of the dry ingredients (flour through oats) in a large mixing bowl. Combine wet ingredients (milk through eggs) in a measuring cup or bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir gently just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Add bananas and stir until just combined.

Spoon batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (A 9" loaf pan will bake faster than a 8" loaf pan.) Cool on a wire rack in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove the bread from the pan and cool thoroughly.

Enjoy!