Sesame Crusted Banana Bread

This vegan banana bread is moist, delicious and easy to make. It can also use up your sourdough starter or discard if you have any (but it’s not required). The fresh ginger and sesame seeds add a wonderful flavor and crunch to this bread. And don’t skip the maple tahini sauce – it’s divine!

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons of ground flax seeds (or 2 eggs if not vegan)
• 1/4 cup of water
• 1 cup of mashed ripe banana (about 3 medium bananas)
• 3/4 cup of sourdough starter or discard (or another 3/4 cup of mashed banana – see notes)
• 1/4 cup of oil (coconut, avocado, olive or vegetable)
• 1/4 cup of maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons of grated fresh ginger
• 1 3/4 cups of all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg
• 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts (optional)
• Sesame seeds for sprinkling
• 1 banana for topping (optional)
• Brown sugar or coconut sugar for sprinkling (optional)

Maple Tahini Sauce

• 1/4 cup of tahini
• 2 tablespoons of maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons of water
• A pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. Sprinkle some sesame seeds on the bottom and sides of the pan.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the ground flax seeds and water to make flax eggs. Set aside for 10 minutes to thicken.
3. In a blender, combine the mashed banana, sourdough starter, oil, maple syrup, vanilla and ginger. Blend until smooth and creamy.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix well. Fold in the walnuts if using.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Cut a banana in half lengthwise and place it on top of the batter, cut side up. Sprinkle some brown sugar or coconut sugar over the banana if desired.
7. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
8. Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
9. To make the maple tahini sauce, whisk together the tahini, maple syrup, water and salt in a small bowl until smooth and drizzly. Add more water if needed to adjust the consistency.
10. Slice the bread and serve with the sauce drizzled over. Enjoy!

Notes

• If you don’t have sourdough starter or discard, you can substitute it with more mashed banana. Just make sure to increase the baking powder to 3 teaspoons instead of 2.
• You can store the bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months.