Maca made in heaven
This nourishing loaf is made with nut butter, bananas, maca powder and free-range eggs.
Ingredients
1½ cups almond butter (or any nut butter)
2 ripe bananas
4 free range eggs
1 tblsp yacon syrup*
4 tsp maca powder **
1 tsp ground vanilla bean***
½ tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 tblsp apple cider vinegar
handful of slivered almonds for decorating
*Yacon syrup is a prebiotic sweetener made by reducing juice from the yacon tuber down to a treacle-like consistency. You can substitute ½ tblsp maple syrup as it’s far sweeter.
**Maca powder is a super food that comes from the maca root. It contains unique alkaloids, which stimulate the master glands in the body which in turn affect the entire endocrine system. Many people find maca powder energising and revitalising but as it affects your hormones and endocrine glands it is contra-indicated for some. You can leave the maca out if you like, or substitute a couple of tsp of ground linseed or ground chia seed for their healthy fatty acid profile.
*** Ground vanilla bean is sold in the spice section at the Co-op and is a great way to use vanilla in many recipes. You can also substitute equal quantities of essence or scrape the seeds out of a vanilla pod.
Method
Preheat the oven to 150°C, and line a greased loaf tin with baking paper.
In a large bowl, add the nut butter, banana, eggs, maca powder, yacon syrup, baking soda and vinegar. Using a potato masher, mash all ingredients well and mix together until mixture resembles a smooth paste. You can also do this in a food processor.
Spoon the batter into the loaf tin. To decorate, scatter slivered almonds evenly on top. Place tin into the oven and bake for 40-50 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool for 10 minutes in the tin before inverting onto a cooling rack.
Best served warm but can make a tasty lunchbox treat too. Keep in an airtight container in the fridge. Will last up to 5 days if you don’t eat it all before then.
By Danielle O’Donoghue