Vegan Oatmeal Coconut Banana Bread

This 100% vegan banana bread is a great snack to have between meals or even a great breakfast! It is naturally sweetened with maple syrup, a little bee pollen, and the riper the bananas, the sweeter they are as well. I cut the dry ingredients with oats to increase the fibre and to make it a healthier, more filling option.

Make sure the bananas you use are quite ripe. They get easier to mash and exponentially sweeter as they age. I used 3 over ripe bananas so the bread was very moist and flavourful.

Aren't flax eggs the best? I always prepare mine at the very beginning and let them sit for a good 10-15 minutes, occasionally swirling them in the measuring cup to ensure they're homogenous. I want to make sure the flax reaches the right egg-like consistency. I also added 1/2 a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar to my cashew milk in order to create a vegan version of "buttermilk". I do this step at the very beginning and let it sit for as long as I let the flax eggs sit.

All the dry ingredients get whisked together until they're well incorporated. The wet ingredients are mixed together in a separate bowl and then added to the dry ingredients. I added some chia to the bread to act as some extra "glue" to hold it together, with the added benefit of omegas. 

When combining the wet and dry ingredients, be sure not to over-mix. Over-mixing will activate the gluten in the flour and leave you with a tough product. We don't want that! It's okay if there are a couple small dry spots left in the batter. After you stir the wet and dry ingredients together, fold in the walnuts and the coconut.

If you would like to save my recipes you can find me on Pinterest as The Blissful Blueberry. You can also find me on Instagram as @the.blissful.blueberry - look for the green icon or this picture!

*makes 1 loaf

Wet Ingredients:

2 flax eggs (2 tbsp flax + 6 tbsp water)

1/3 cup vegan "buttermilk" (1/3 cup nut milk + 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar)

3 overripe bananas

1/3 cup coconut oil, melted

1/3 cup maple syrup

2 tsp vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup quick oats

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tbsp chia seeds

1 tbsp bee pollen (optional, omit if strict vegan)

Add Ins:

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 cup shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Make your flax eggs in a small measuring cup or bowl and set aside for 10 minutes. 

Make the vegan buttermilk in a small measuring cup or bowl and set aside for 10 minutes.

Whisk together the dry ingredients and set aside.

Mash the bananas in a medium sized bowl with a potato masher or fork. Stir in the maple syrup, vanilla, and coconut oil. By now the flax eggs and the "buttermilk" should be finished, so you can add those to the wet ingredients as well and mix them together.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and be sure not to over mix. It's okay if there are a couple small dry spots left in the batter.

After you stir the wet and dry ingredients together, fold in the walnuts and the coconut. Save some nuts to sprinkle on top.

Pour the batter into a 9x4 inch loaf pan that has been lined with parchment or sprayed. Sprinkle the remaining walnuts and coconut on top.

Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

Take the loaf out of the oven and leave it in the pan for 10 minutes, afterwards putting it on a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy warm with a nice spread of coconut oil or vegan butter on top.