When you have leftover bananas make blueberry oat banana bread.
Why is it no matter how many bananas you buy, you always have a few left over that just aren’t appealing?
I think that everyone really enjoys a good banana, and unfortunately, that window of opportunity for that really good banana is only two days tops. When you get down to it, it’s really only a day, but there is an acceptable range when it’s not really perfect but still enjoyable.
But then you hit that range when they’ve sugar up a bit too much and gotten just a little soft….sigh, and so there they sit until they turn brown and you toss them. I know what you’re saying, some of you out there are going to tell me that’s when they’re the best. Nope, not for me, not even in cereal…sigh
But not to worry you do have a very good option because everyone love’s Banana Bread!
So don’t throw out those over-ripe banana’s instead take your old brown over ripe banana’s and take them out of their peels and wrap them in plastic wrap, and freeze them in a ziplock bag until you have enough bananas and enough time to make banana bread because they are perfect for baking!
I’ve made many versions of Banana Bread throughout my life, but my favorite recipe comes from the first female TV chef that I had a crush on (even before Giada) and that, of course, would be Nigella Lawson a true Domestic Goddess!
There is just something so sensual about the way she enjoys food, especially the segment at the very end when she’s sneaking something out of the fridge as a late night snack. You can see from her expressions that she adores each tempting mouthful of her most recent creation.
So when I say that I’ve got a good banana bread recipe courtesy of Nigella Lawson, you can believe its good! I did do a little tweaking with this version adding some oats and dried blueberries, I enjoyed the texture the oats gave, but will stick with raisins, the blueberries just weren’t as satisfying in the banana bread. But do try the recipe, no matter what you add, you’ll be glad you did!
You might also like my Peaches and Cream Breakfast Cake.
Blueberry Oat Banana Bread with Pecans Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup of golden raisins dried blueberries or cranberries
- 1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ oats
- 1 tbsp raw sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ cup very ripe bananas mashed
- ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- butter and flour a 9" loaf pan
- preheat the oven to 325 degrees
- place the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder in a small bowl and combine well with either your hands or a wooden spoon
- In a large bowl or your mixer place the sugar and melted butter and mix well, add the eggs one at a time, then add the mashed banana’s
- with your wooden spoon mix in the raisins, oats, nuts and vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture a third at a time mixing well each time.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake in the middle of the oven for 1 hour
- Sprinkle the top of the loaf with the raw sugar. This is optional and can be left out. The raw sugar adds a nice touch to the cake but will not detract from the recipe if you don't have this on hand.
- When the bread is ready a toothpick or knife inserted into the center should come out clean there may be a little clinging to it, just not gooey batter
- Place the pan on a rack to cool for 15 minutes and then pop it out of the pan and its ready to enjoy.
Notes
If your a chocolate fan, try adding some chocolate chips if you like, chocolate seems a natural pairing with banana’s, just don’t get carried away ½ cup should be plenty.
Donna
The best banana recipe!
Donna
Delicious!
Maureen
Please help me understand how the raw sugar effects this recipe. If I don’t have it, will it change it much?
Chef Dennis Littley
The raw sugar is chunkier and can be seen and tasted and is only used on the top of the loaf as a garnish. You don’t have to use it to make this recipe.
Elies Lie
Hai Chef Dennis 😊
Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Ah, right… we always have leftover brorn and mushy banana in the kitchen
I always freeze my banana for smoothie but never try to freeze overripe banana for banan bread
Great idea 👍🏻
Raisin, oats, walnut and blueberry in banana bread for breakfast
Count me in! 😊💜
Chef Dennis Littley
You are very welcome Elies, I’m happy to hear you now have another way to use your leftover banana’s.
Sybil
I had 3 bananas that were perfectly ripe, so I made your recipe this afternoon, but with only 1 tablespoon of sugar (as I don’t care for all that sugar in cakes). I soaked the oats in the banana mixture for an hour first to give them time to soften. I added pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon and a little ginger for taste, in addition to the vanilla extract. The cake came out looking wonderful. We tried it tonight and it was perfect, not too moist but not too dry either, perfectly cooked, and not overly sweet. I will do it again.
Chef D
thanks for letting me know, it sounds like you have a winner!
In Katrina's Kitchen
So much flavor going on here Chef! I’m a sucker for a good banana bread. I have my go-to recipe but I’d love to give this one a try. Blueberries are my favorite spring/summer treat!
Trevor
followed the recipe and it turned out great! Thanks for scoop, this one is going into my collection. I found some good bread and granola products here as well if you’re looking for healthy foods
alan
thank you for this great recipe i love banna bread
best wishes
alan
Happy When Not Hungry
I love a good banana bread recipe. This looks delicious!
kateiscooking
Brilliant – I love the idea of bags of dry ingredients. I’m with you on stumbling around the kitchen in the morning. All too often for me it’s trying to get lunch fixed or dinner in the crockpot. But, a warm loaf of quickbread on a Sunday morning. That’d be heavenly!
Hester aka The Chef Doc
This looks awesome, Chef! I’ve got eight bananas that are oh, on their last leg of life. I was going to make banana bread with the bananas but now I’ve got another recipe to try out 🙂
anna
i also can’t stand brown bananas, so thank heavens for banana bread! oo and with blueberries and pecans? yes please!
Marsha @ The Harried Cook
What a gorgeous combination of ingredients – love the nuts, the banana, the oatmeal and especially the blueberries! Thanks, Chef Dennis!
Kim - Liv Life
I love the oatmeal in this creation!! Just about anything with oats is a hit in my book, and add banana and you’ve made it even better. We toss our bananas in the freezer when they “go too far” that way I’ve always got a few on hand for breads, pancakes or smoothies. This one is high on our list to try Dennis! Happy Monday!
Stacey Rider
Chef – this looks really, really good and I can only imagine how good the kitchen smells… will try this one!
Kaitlin
Looks like a good use of leftover bananas to me! 🙂
RavieNomNoms
See I wait until the bananas are juuuust about ready for banana bread and THEN I eat them. hehe, I like them when they have brown spots on them. I can’t eat them when they are green. However, I think we can both agree on this gorgeous bread! How very yummy this looks. I love that you added blueberries too. Delicious chef!
Maggie @ A Bitchin' Kitchen
This looks delicious! I actually really like eating overripe bananas – if there aren’t brown spots on the skin, I don’t want it! Sometimes I don’t make it through all my ripe bananas though, so I’m going to have to try freezing them like you suggested. (Having a duh moment right about now…)
Keeley @ My Life on a Plate
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I have two overripe bananas sitting on my counter. My normal banana bread recipe uses five bananas, but this is a great use for those two little orphans that are getting extra fragrant. Bookmarked!
Betty Ann @Mango_Queen
This recipe is timely. I have a bunch of overripe bananas staring at me, and also some blueberries laying around. I must make this. Your recipes are always good, Chef Dennis. This will be another classic for my family! Thanks for sharing. Happy Mon.!
Kiri W.
Mmm, this looks wonderfully moist. The pecans sound like a decadent addition 🙂 Nicely done!
Alyssa
I swear I only buy bananas to let them get ripe for an excuse to make bread. I love the pecans in here for crunch!
Maureen @ Orgasmic Chef
I don’t think you could have added one more favorite flavor in this bread. I love it to bits!!
Lynn @ I'll Have What She's Having
I think if it weren`t for banana bread there would be a lot of wasted banana`s in this world. This recipe sounds really good, I like the addition of blueberries to make it a little more than just banana bread.
Jeanette
I’ve got a bunch of browning bananas on my counter and was just thinking about making some banana bread or muffins with them. Will be trying a gluten-free/dairy-free version of Nigella’s recipe (I love her!) for my little guy who has food allergies.
Full-Flavored Life
So do I! I am saving them to make a (gluten-free/vegan) chocolate chip oatmeal cookie!