I often find inspiration in the discounted produce section of the grocery store. This past week I came home with 2 packages of 4 avacados at $.99 Canadian which is a real deal up north. My foodie friend Eva who blogs at Kitchinspirations turned me on to a wonderful chocolate avocado pudding, but I think my husband has had his fill since it is pretty rich. Me, I am still loving the healthy chocolate fix in small doses.
In search of new recipes I found the California Avocado Commission website. If anyone is going to have great recipes, it will be an marketing organization dedicated to encourage consumers to buy their product beyond salads and guacamole.
Since I like to keep healthy snacking foods around and already make a lower fat banana bread and oatmeal cookies (also pictured here) I tried those 2 recipes.
Here is my slightly adapted version of the bread. I used whole wheat flour, applesauce instead of oil and a sucralose blend of brown sugar.
This makes a very moist bread.
Recipe adapted from the California Avocado Commission
Ingredients
- ½ cup old-fashioned oats
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 ripe Avocado, seeded*
- 0.250 ¼ cup applesauce
- 1 cup brown sugar (I use sucralose blend)
- 2 eggs
- 2 very ripe bananas
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
- ¼ cup skim buttermilk (add 1tsp lemon juice to milk to make buttermilk)
Instructions
- Line a 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan with non stick foil and lightly grease the bottom only.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Combine dry ingredients: oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
- Scoop the avocado into a large bowl and mash lightly.
- Add apple sauce and brown sugar to the avocado. Cream together using an electric mixer, until light and creamy.
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Stir in bananas, then walnuts and dry ingredients.
- Stir in buttermilk and beat just until buttermilk is incorporated.
- Pour into prepared loaf pan and bake in preheated oven for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Avocanana bread is quite moist and may not pass the "toothpick" test at this point. If you prefer a drier bread, bake a little longer.
Yields: 1 loaf
Serving Suggestions:
*Large avocados are recommended for this recipe. A large avocado averages about 8 ounces. If using smaller or larger size avocados adjust the quantity accordingly.
My go to favorite butter substitute is appleasauce in my baking, since has lower calories and fat and with apple season here, I can make my own unsweetened version to use throughout the year.
Cost is also a factor since avocados are more expensive up here in Canada, but if they are sitting in the fridge waiting for a job, they are great for us.
So while I haven't done extensive experiments, many in warmer climes do regularily substitute avocados for butter, cream and eggs in their recipes. The downside is that the color may not fade, unless you are making that wonderful chocolate pudding, but the richness remains and the lovely added health benefits of the avocado in healthy fats.
I actually found my banana bread much moister than when I use applesauce as the only shortening.
cheers
Pamela Powered
Posted by: Pamela Powered | September 25, 2011 at 03:26 PM
Does the avocado add the richness that butter would have added? Sounds like a great recipe, Pam.
Posted by: Eva@ kitcheninspirations.wordpress.com/ | September 25, 2011 at 10:02 AM