The girls make Lucy Friendly Banana Bread (Egg-Free, Dairy-Free Banana Bread)

Lucy LOVES bread.  She would eat only bread with ketchup for dinner if you let her most nights, but until recently she only wanted it if it was white.  Well my little girl is growing up and expanding her horizons now!  A few weeks ago I let her have a bite of a regular banana bread and she was hooked.  I couldn't let her have too much of that loaf since I'd used eggs to make it, so the next time I made one just for her and it turned out great.  She ate it all week and the day it ran out started asking for more.  Since my baby has to miss out on so much good stuff I can't resist her asking for a pretty healthy option that she loves.  Here is my recipe adapted the Family Favorites Made Lighter cookbook along appearances with my "helpers" - (fair warning I am not a good "food photographer", I am always inspired by friend Susan over at www.ourfamilyeats.com but I just can't seem make the food look at good as she does - although half of it is probably my cooking ability and the other half my photograher skills!)

Banana-Nut Bread

Nonstick Cooking Spray

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 t. baking powder

1/4 t. baking soda

1/8 t. salt

3T Ener G Egg Replacer mixed with 4 T warm water (or 2 beaten egg whites for "normal" people)

1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 to 3 medium)

1/4 cup sugar

3 T. veg oil

1 t. grated lemon peel

1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Spray a 8x4x2 loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.  Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl.   In a medium mixing bowl stir together egg replacer, banana, sugar, oil and lemon peel.  Add to the flour mixture and stir until just blended then add nuts.  Pour into pan and bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

This definitely a recipe that kids can help with easily.  I find the best way to manage that is to put each ingredient in small bowls, with the smaller measures of dry ingredients in a single bowl. 

Then I put the bananas in big chunks onto a large cutting board, hand the girls some big forks and let them at it!

While I read the recipe out-loud, I let each girl take a turn at dumping in the ingredients.  We even play a guessing game as to which bowl is which ingredient.

Then we take turns stirring - which is of course their favorite part!

no Cate you CANNOT put that spoon in your mouth!

one last joint stir after the nuts go in

A fun rainy day or 95 degree day project for everyone with an awesome tasting result!

Of course when it came time for clean up some how I was the only one left with this mess! But the smiles are worth it, especially when Lucy gets to have treat she actually wants!