Pumpkin Banana Bread

It's pumpkin season!! That calls for some time in the kitchen baking. I've found a few new pumpkin recipes to try this month. Here is one with a healthy spin on pumpkin bread.

Pumpkin Banana Bread

2 cups flour - a healthy choice is oat flour
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp each: cinnamon, ginger, pumpkin pie spice
1 1/2 cup mashed, overripe banana
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup pure maple syrup, honey, or agave
1/16 tsp uncut stevia Or 2 tbsp sweetener of choice
1/3 cup oil OR milk of choice
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate chips, optional

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Grease a 9×5 loaf pan, and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients.
Whisk all liquid ingredients in a separate bowl, then pour wet into dry and stir to form a batter. Smooth into the prepared pan. If desired, press some extra chocolate chips into the top.
Bake on the center rack 30 minutes, then do not open the oven door but turn off the heat and leave in the closed oven for 10 additional minutes.
Let cool completely, then cover and refrigerate overnight.
Taste and texture will be much better the second day.

If that one sounds a little too healthy, here is a more traditional recipe!

2 ripe bananas, mashed
2 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 1/3 cups canned pumpkin puree
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup white sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup raisins (optional)
1/2 cup walnut pieces (optional)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F Grease an 9x5 inch loaf pan.
In a large bowl, stir together the mashed banana, eggs, oil, pumpkin, honey and sugar.
Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pie spice and cinnamon, stir into the banana mixture until just combined.
Fold in the raisins and walnuts if desired. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
Cool loaf in the pan for 10 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.

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