Healthy Banana Bread

Measure out the flours by scooping gently and scraping off the top of the cup evenly with a knife or spatula. Put flours, cinnamon, allspice, yeast, salt, and vital wheat gluten in a large container with a lid. Whisk all dry ingredients together to prevent the vital wheat gluten from forming lumps. In a separate bowl, mix together the lukewarm water, oil, honey, vanilla, mashed bananas, and optional walnuts. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and stir using a large spoon or your hands. Incorporate well but do not knead. Nitrile medical gloves can be used to prevent the dough from sticking to your hands, but they are not necessary.

Cover the container loosely with its lid and let the dough rise at room temperature for 2 hours or until it flattens on top. While a portion of the dough can be used at this point, it will be very wet and sticky and harder to work with. It works better if it's fully chilled. It is recommended to refrigerate the dough overnight or for at least 3 hours before shaping a loaf.

When ready to bake, lightly grease an 8-1/2 x 4-1/2 inch non-stick loaf pan. Sprinkle the dough surface with flour and remove half of the dough, approximately cantaloupe size or 2 pounds. A serrated knife works well to cut the dough. Add a little more flour to your hands to prevent sticking. Gently stretch the dough surface around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter turn as you go, then shape it into an oval. Place the dough into the pan, filling it approximately three-quarters full. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest for 1 hour and 45 minutes. If using unrefrigerated dough, let rise for 60 minutes. Keep the remaining dough refrigerated until next time, with the lid loosely covered. The dough will last up to 7 days refrigerated.

Preheat your oven to 350° F at least 30 minutes before baking. A pizza stone is not needed for loaf pan breads. Paint the top of the loaf with the egg wash, then sprinkle with raw sugar or light brown sugar. Place the pan on a middle rack in the center of the oven and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the loaf is nicely browned and firm.

Remove the loaf from the pan and let it cool on a rack. If you have problems removing the loaf, let it sit for about 10 minutes to allow it to steam free of the pan, then tip it out. If problems persist, use a rubber spatula to slide around all four sides between the bread and the pan to loosen it, preventing scratches to the pan.

Slice and eat! Add this delicious healthy banana bread recipe to your sweet tooth collection.