blueberry banana bread

Quick breads are so easy and satisfying to make. This recipe is a direct offshoot of my Grandmother’s Banana Bread which I blogged about in 2012. It’s not too high in sugar and includes some healthy rolled oats and blueberries. Please try it and let me know how it goes. Don’t worry about exact measurements for this one, it’s practically foolproof!

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 very ripe banana

1/2 cup melted butter or coconut oil

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup sugar

2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup blueberries – fresh or frozen

3 tablespoons turbinado sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare the baking pan(s) with a good smear of butter; this recipe works well in three mini loaves or as muffins.

Begin by measuring the rolled oats into a bowl or jug like the one pictured. Add the buttermilk to the oats, stir and let this combination sit while you gather and prepare the rest of the ingredients. The buttermilk will tenderize the oats.

Melt the butter in a large mixing bowl and add the 3/4 cup sugar and the banana. Mash the banana with a fork and mix well. Add the eggs and vanilla and continue mixing until well combined and relatively smooth. Now add the oats/buttermilk mixture and stir it all up.

Add the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda to the bowl. Begin to mix the dry ingredients in gently and then add the blueberries and continue to mix gently until just combined.

Pour the batter into prepared pan(s) and smooth out the top. Combine the 3 Tablespoons turbinado sugar and the cinnamon in your 1/4 cup measuring cup and sprinkle this all over the top. Turbinado sugar has larger crystals than white sugar and will give a wonderfully crunchy top. Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then turn out to continue to cool.