INGREDIENTS

• Vegetable spray oil, for greasing the pan
• 3¼ oz. pitted dates (5 to 6)
• 1¾ cups (7 oz.) all-purpose flour, plus 2 tsp.
• ¾ cup (2½ oz.) almond flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• Pinch of kosher salt
• 5 ripe bananas
• 3 Tbs. (1½ oz.) coconut oil
• 1/3 cup almond milk
• 2/3 cp (2 oz.) chopped walnuts (optional)

HOW TO MAKE IT

1. Heat the oven to 350°F and grease a loaf pan with vegetable oil.
2. Place the dates in a medium heat-proof bowl and pour boiling water over them. Let sit for about 10 minutes, until softened.
3. In a large bowl, whisk 1¾ cups all-purpose flour, the almond flour, baking powder, and salt. In a medium bowl, peel and roughly mash 4 of the bananas with a fork.
4. Drain the dates and add to another large bowl with the coconut oil and almond milk. Blend with an immersion blender until smooth. Alternatively, pour all the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.
5. Add the date mixture and mashed bananas to the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix just until combined.
6. If you are using the walnuts, in a small bowl, toss them with the remaining 2 tsp. all-purpose flour (this will prevent the nuts from collecting at the bottom of the loaf after baking). Fold the floured walnuts into the batter with a rubber spatula.
7. Scrape the mixture into the prepared loaf pan, cut the last banana in half lengthwise and arrange decoratively over the batter, cut sides up. Bake for about 55 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan 5 minutes, then remove from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.