HappyTummy              

Here’s an interesting take on banana bread…and when I say “interesting,” I don’t mean it in a bad way at all. I say it’s interesting because it’s made with teff flour—a whole grain very high in fiber, iron and protein.

Teff isn’t used widely in the United States—I mostly associate it with Ethiopian food, as it’s the main ingredient in injera, the sour, spongy bread that Ethiopians use to scoop up food. I love Ethiopian food, and I’ve always wanted to try making it at home, but that’s a cooking experiment for another day. Today, we’re talking about this yummy treat, and how a variation on a classic recipe can be a good thing.

The addition off the teff flour in this recipe gave the bread a somewhat nutty, somewhat earthy flavor. I realize that may sound somewhat off-putting, but believe me, the result was delicious. I was skeptical at first, but realized the next day that, like many baked goods, the bread tasted even better after sitting for a while, and not straight out of the oven. The chocolate and banana flavor melded perfectly with the smokiness of the teff flour.

I found this recipe on the blog Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef, however my adaptation is not gluten free, as I did use some all purpose flour. Shauna suggests serving it warm with cream cheese—I didn’t try it that way, but I can imagine it tastes fabulous.

Recipe: Chocolate Banana Bread with Teff Flour
Adapted from Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef

• 1 cup AP flour
• 1 cup of teff flour
• 3/4 cup turbinado sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons high-quality, unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 3 overly ripe bananas
• 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2 large eggs
• 6 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350° degrees. Move the rack to a position in the lower half of the oven. This will prevent the crust of the bread from burning. Grease a loaf pan (I used four mini loaf pans).

Stir together all the dry ingredients, making sure to tame the lumps of cocoa powder with a fork. Set aside.

With a standing mixer or hand mixer, beat the eggs lightly. Then, add the yogurt, vanilla extract, and melted butter. When this assemblage is completely mixed, then gently add in the dry ingredients. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the dry ingredients until they are just mixed.

Scrape the dough into your pan. Pat down the top to make a flat surface. If you wish, toss a few pecans or walnut halves onto the top. Place into the oven and bake for about 40 minutes, or until the knife you insert gently into the bread comes out again clean. Let the bread sit in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes, then turn it over onto a wire rack. Serve warm, with cream cheese, if you wish.