This pumpkin hemp hearts banana bread is a moist snack thanks to ripe bananas, shredded butternut squash and plenty of small and tender hemp hearts. It makes a great breakfast or afternoon snack packed with nutrients.
Just like any other banana bread, this pumpkin hemp hearts banana bread is easy and quick to make, too. The recipe is basically, step by step adding the ingredients to one bowl, pouring the batter into a baking form and baking. It can’t get easier. Wink. Besides being super easy to make, it tastes delicious and it’s healthy as well.
Check out some of my favourite banana bread recipes: paleo cranberry banana bread, this cute strawberry buttercream banana coconut cake or this crumble coffee banana bread.
When nature gives you pumpkins, make a loaf of banana bread out of it. Wink. However, try to enjoy them. Try new pumpkin recipes by using different methods of preparation. Oh, I love pumpkins. The reason I am looking forward to autumn to come, is pumpkin, too. In fact, I like them so much, that I could use one in every meal. Wink.
Pumpkin
Almost all recipes that require pumpkin, use pumpkin puree. Delicious. But, since I wanted some texture in my banana bread instead, I used shredded pumpkin. Now, some pumpkins can be eaten with skin on. This is the case with the Hokkaido pumpkin. On the other hand, if using butternut squash, the skin can be a bit harder. Simply peel it off.
Also, the slightly sweet and nutty squash flavour of the butternut squash pairs well with bananas and nuts. It tastes magnificent. All pumpkins and squashes do taste good. But the butternut squash has another advantage. Because it is so dense, you’ll get more serving than you’d get with any other kind of pumpkin.
Do you fancy pumpkin yet? Check out these pumpkin recipes: pumpkin burger buns, the gorgeous Hasselback butternut squash, this kind of pizza pumpkin flammkuchen or this cheese-stuffed pumpkin.
Hemp hearts
Moreover, in order to add some extra nutrients, I swapped the walnuts with hemp seeds or better said hemp hearts. Hemp hearts are shelled hemp seeds. They come with a tender texture and in a cream and pale green colour.
Even though they are small in size, the list of health benefits gets quite long. For instance, they are rich in protein and vitamins (A, B1, B2, B3, B6, D, E); yeah, almost the whole alphabet. Wink. Besides that, they are high in iron, zinc, potassium and omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, too. Another fantastic effect, that these cute small hearts have, is being packed with gamma linoleic acids. In simple words, it helps your body to deal with your hormone balance. OMG, so small but so powerful.
Moreover, you can easily include them in your diet and take advantage of their health benefits. The great thing is, that they can be eaten raw as well. I love to add them into smoothies, on yogurt and soups or sprinkle them over a salad.
Ingredients for pumpkin hemp hearts banana bread:
- 3 bananas (half a banana, cut lengthwise, for garnish)
- 1 egg
- 7 g vanilla sugar
- 80 g coconut oil (melted)
- 150 g shredded butternut squash
- 1 tsp of cinnamon
- 70 g flour
- half a tsp of baking powder
- half a tsp of baking soda
- 100 g hemp seeds
To begin, preheat the oven to 190°C. Line the loaf form with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and hemp seeds.
In a larger bowl, mash 2,5 bananas. Then add one egg, vanilla sugar, cinnamon and melted coconut oil. Whisk to combine. Add the shredded squash or pumpkin and, using a spatula, fold it into the batter.
Last but not least, stir in the flour, hemp seeds, baking powder and baking soda. Once all is well combined, pour the batter into the loaf form (or any other form). At this point, slice the banana lengthwise in half and lay both slices on top of the batter.
Put the form in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes. Afterwards, transfer it to the lower half of the oven, cover it with a parchment sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes longer or until no longer wet in the centre.
Finally, when the pumpkin hemp hearts banana bread is baked, leave it in the form for 5 more minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack and allow it to chill off completely. Slice it and serve with a cup of tea or coffee.
Enjoy.
