CHOCOLATE CHUNK BANANA BREAD

I found this recipe which was quick to make and with a few adjustments became healthier. I opted to leave in 1/4th cup vegan chocolate chunks/chips but really it would be sweet enough for me without them. Next time I will have to leave the chocolate out because over 3 days I ate most of the loaf myself, drawn in by the decadence of the chocolate. I should have frozen individual slices and spread out the joy!

You can find the original recipe at “Hummus a Pien”: Vegan Banana Bread.

Bananas are on the list of top PREBIOTIC foods however it is the raw under-ripe banana that is optimal. Prebiotics are special fibers that we cannot digest in our small intestine but they can be used by the "friendly" bacteria in our colon as nourishment. Keeping the "friendly" bacteria healthy has many health benefits for our bodies.

Here is a 1 minute video explaining the difference between probiotics and prebiotics.

Here is a 10 minute excerpt from a lecture by a physician explaining the health benefits of probiotics and prebiotics.

What I did differently:

-Used 1/2 cup homemade vanilla almond milk sweetened with dates

-Used 1/3 cup date paste instead of sugar

-Did not add oil

-Reduced the vegan chocolate chunks to 1/4th cup and chopped the chunks because I had them in my pantry. I would have preferred to use chopped pieces of dark chocolate bar but didn't have any.

-Added 1/4th cup chopped walnuts

-Lined loaf pan with parchment paper to avoid oil spray

-Baked 1 hour