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This vegan whole-wheat banana bread gets its crackly texture from healthy millet and makes the perfect breakfast or mid-afternoon snack.

Millet Banana Bread

True life: My boyfriend does not trust me with his car.

Up until yesterday, I’ve had only been allowed to drive his car once before, and that was a very short trip. The man drives a Volvo, and “Sadie” is his baby. Yes, he named his car.

To be fair, he kind of has a point. Not that I am a bad driver – the only accident I have been in up to this point was in no way my fault (really), and I have never gotten a ticket (knock on wood) – but I am, as he has pointed out, not very good at avoiding things such as potholes, which there are a lot of here in the midwest. I’m just too busy trying to sing along to the radio to notice holes in the road.

You only hope that I’m kidding.

Anyway, it was so horrendously cold here yesterday (Tuesday) that when I tried to leave for work, my car would not start. Dead as a doornail. Crap. Since Boyfriend doesn’t start his job until next week, this meant that I could drive Sadie…much to his anxiety. He texted me after I left to see if I got to work ok – less, I suspected, to see if I actually made it there alright and more to make sure his car was still in one piece. (It was.)

It wasn’t until I left the office to go tutor that I ran into an issue. A delivery truck was blocking me into the parking lot, and the driver was nowhere to be seen. I had to leave and had no other choice but to try to very carefully back Sadie out of the spot. I really cannot emphasize enough the anxiety I felt at this point, because Heaven forbid I should mark up this car the one time I was really allowed to drive it.

Did I mention that Sadie is approximately the size of a cruise ship? And that reversing is not exactly my strength?

If you’re thinking that this story ends in me going home to have Boyfriend discover a brand-new scrape on the back bumper of his car, then you would be correct.

Sliced millet banana bread

It was at this point that I was sincerely wishing I had some of this Millet Banana Bread waiting for me in the apartment. Unfortunately, I had fed the last of it to some friends last week. Because drowning one’s horrible driving issues in healthy banana bread is totally normal…right?

This banana bread is made using whole wheat flour and, thanks to the use of a “flax egg” and almond milk, is fantastically vegan as well. It gets its crackly texture from uncooked millet – but don’t think that means that your bread is going to taste like bird seed! The millet softens slightly during the cooking process and leaves the bread dotted with wonderful crunchy/crackly bits. Plus, it is good for you, which means that this is a banana bread that you can feel good about eating after all of the holiday cookie binging.

Buttered millet banana bread

Millet Banana Bread

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Servings: 7

Ingredients 

  • 1 tablespoon ground flax seed
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 1/2 cup almond or soy milk
  • 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 ripe bananas mashed
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/4 cup uncooked millet

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan; set aside.
  • In a small bowl, stir together flax seed and water. Set aside for 10-15 minutes or until thickened and the consistency of an egg.
  • In a separate bowl or measuring cup, add the lemon juice or vinegar to the milk. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes or until "soured".
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, baking soda, and salt.
  • Whisk together the "flax egg", soured milk, mashed banana, brown sugar, coconut oil, and vanilla. Add to the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Fold in the millet, then pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan before removing to a baking rack.

Notes

Makes 1 9x5-inch loaf

 

Most whole or health-food stores should sell millet, but if you are having a hard time finding it, I like to use this one from Bob’s Red Mill. Yep, that’s an affiliate link.

17 Comments

  1. It would have been ok if you had inherited your daddy’s ability to back up a car as opposed to my ability to back (into things). 🙁

  2. Oh honey, you poor thing!! Alex seems forgiving, he probs. was fine…yeah? (Michael would FLIP on me if such a thing happened…probably. Sometimes when I think I have his reactions figured out he surprises me *shrug*)

    This bread really does look amazing Stephie, so hearty and delish!

    …and driving is hard.

    1. The moment when I got nervous is when he got *really really* quiet. He wasn’t mad, exactly, but his level of annoyance with me was pretty high.

      I should have stayed quiet and let him think it was some dummy in the parking lot.

  3. This reminds me of when my husband and I were dating! We knew each other all of three days when he bought a new truck. It was less than 24 hours new and he asked me to drive it somewhere. I went like 2 mph the whole way (with the flashers on lol!) and STILL managed to somehow catch a flying rock to the windshield. *sigh* He forgave me and that was my first clue he was a keeper. And he let me drive the truck again…eventually. :-)This banana bread looks fantastic!

  4. What I lack in basic driving skills (you know, like, looking at the road) I make up for in backing up the car, oddly. Whereas my husband drives like a cautious grandpa but sucks at backing up. Still, I know that any scrape or bump on the car made by me would be SO MUCH WORSE than anything he could do to it. Like backing up into a mailbox, as he has done.

    So basically, I need this banana bread on hand at all times to make nice.

    1. Haha! I wish that were the case for me. Nope, when Alex tells me to “back into a parking space” I usually look at him and say, “Oh, you mean YOU will back into this parking space?”

      Same goes for parallel parking. Since, you know, backing is involved there, too.

      I need some banana bread.

  5. I’ve just started taking driving lessons and I have to admit I’m a little bit scared! My dad has allowed me to do a very short trip with his car and I still remember how anxious I was!
    Anyway, back to this banana bread…it looks delicious and I bet it tastes delicious, too! I’m all about whole grains so you can be sure I’ll try it out!

    xo, Elisa

    1. I’m sure you’ll be fine! Just, you know, try not to back into any parked delivery trucks. (I’m kidding! I’m sure your backing skills will be quite superior.) 🙂

  6. Stephie, Hi! I love your recipes! Thanks for sharing them with the world!
    One question, could I make this banana bread gluten free? if yes, how?
    Thanks!

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