How to Make Fig and Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread

If you're looking to get more micronutrients and fiber into your day, adding figs anywhere you can will accomplish both objectives nicely. Figs are especially rich in highly absorbable calcium, the kind that your cells can efficiently use to build bony matrix, strengthen teeth, regulate contraction and relaxation of muscle fibers, and foster intercellular communication.

Though I used whole wheat flour for this recipe, if you strive to avoid gluten, you can substitute with any flour of your choice and enjoy your own version of fig, chocolate chunk, and banana bread.

Ingredients:

2 eggs
1 cup almond milk
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or virgin coconut oil
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas - about 2 medium-size bananas
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup dried figs, chopped
1 cup frozen dark chocolate chunks
Something to grease your baking pan with (coconut oil works well)

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease two 4 by 8 inch bread pans or one equivalent size baking/casserole dish.

2. Combine eggs, almond milk, maple syrup, coconut or extra-virgin olive oil, and mashed bananas in a bowl and mix with a fork until relatively homogenized - you can set this wet mixture aside.

3. In a large bowl, bring together your flour, baking powder, sea salt, and cinnamon.

4. Add your wet ingredients, and gently stir just until you have your batter.

5. Gently fold in chopped dried figs and chocolate chunks. It's okay if your chocolate chunks are at room temperature. Frozen chunks are nice in that they hold their form and consistency a bit better.

6. Pour batter into baking pan(s).

7. Bake in preheated oven for about 55 minutes, or until a chopstick or toothpick can be inserted into the center and pulled out clean. At this point, allow your banana bread to cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and allow to cool for another 15 to 20 minutes on a wire rack - if you don't have a conventional wire rack for cooling, you might use a spare rack that you can borrow from your oven or toaster oven.

Enjoy your fig, chocolate chunk, and banana bread! Leftovers can be stored at room temperature in a container for up to three days.

Recipe for copying, pasting, and printing:

Ingredients:

2 eggs
1 cup almond milk
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or virgin coconut oil
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas - about 2 medium-size bananas
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup dried figs, chopped
1 cup frozen dark chocolate chunks
Something to grease your baking pan with

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease two 4 by 8 inch bread pans or one equivalent size baking/casserole dish.

2. Combine eggs, almond milk, maple syrup, coconut or extra-virgin olive oil, and mashed bananas in a bowl and mix with a fork until relatively homogenized - you can set this wet mixture aside.

3. In a large bowl, bring together your flour, baking powder, sea salt, and cinnamon.

4. Add your wet ingredients, and gently stir just until you have your batter.

5. Gently fold in chopped dried figs and chocolate chunks.

6. Pour batter into baking pan(s).

7. Bake in preheated oven for about 55 minutes, or until a chopstick or toothpick can be inserted into the center and pulled out clean. At this point, allow your banana bread to cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and allow to cool for another 15 to 20 minutes on a wire rack - if you don't have a conventional wire rack for cooling, you might use a spare rack that you can borrow from your oven or toaster oven.