Breakfast Banana Bread

A lazy Sunday morning is one of those glorious moments during the week when I feel it's ok to simply be. To do nothing but slowly rouse myself awake and greet the day with a semblance of serenity as I plan a languorous breakfast.

And one of my all time favourites is a hearty banana bread slathered in maple butter and a sprinkling of nuts, along with a steaming pot of chai tea.I start thinking about baking this bread while I'm still in bed, as I stretch out and try to ignore the rumblings of my stomach. Which is not easy with warm banana bread on the brain! But I slip quietly out of bed, put the kettle on and sip on strong tea as I watch the valley below being slowly illuminated by the first rays of sunlight. This morning, like many mornings where we live, is cool and shrouded in mist. It is my favourite kind of morning and perfect for baking.

In our house, the business of eating is taken very seriously, and the topic of breakfast is given the utmost respect. It's my favourite meal of the day, and therefore my favourite to ponder over and eat. And this particular recipe is not often missing from our pantry. It is, in fact, a breakfast staple, and one I'm very happy to share with you. Not only is it delicious, but it's also filling and ultimately, very, very satisfying. Especially when served with a generous variety of toppings and enjoyed with a cup of something warm. My favourite time to bake this bread is early in the morning, when the rest of my family, and the rest of the world it seems, are still sleeping and I have the luxury of pottering around the kitchen in rare solitude.

I relish these moments! Most of all because, as a mother of a nine month old, moments of solitude are few and far between. Too, because I know I get to devour something delicious at the end of my efforts. That's not to say this bread is difficult to make. It's anything but. You throw all the wet ingredients into a blender, add it to the dry, whack the batter into a pan, shove it in the oven for an hour or so and it's done. The lovely thing about baking this bread in the morning is that it infuses the house with the most delicious smell. A smell that's spicy, warm and comforting, and oddly familiar. Like a big old blanket you can always rely on to keep you cosy.

I can pretty much eat this bread at any time of day. It functions just as well for an afternoon pick me up, with its energy packed combo of bananas, nuts and chia seeds, as it does for breakfast. But I enjoy it best on crisp mornings. It’s exactly the kind of breakfast you want to greet you when you’ve been outside for a stroll, you’ve worked up a splendid appetite and you want to fill your belly with something simple and wholesome. It’s a no fuss breakfast that harks back to a time when people actually had a minute to spare to sit down and disappear into a pot of tea and benefit from a relaxing start to the day.

Make it to munch on for breakfast, to eat as a snack, or even, to serve as quick dessert. It’s fantastic when made into French toast and drizzled with maple syrup and served with some ice cream.  It also makes for a wonderful homemade gift. Simply wrap it up with some cheese cloth, twine, and a handwritten tag, and you’ve got a beautiful present that anyone would love.

Love and light!

Susanna xo