Banana and Pineapple Loaf

The cold snap we're experiencing has us craving summer even more than we were before, and with a few more weeks of winter to go we're looking for a little taste of the tropics. 

Australian Pineapples are the perfect way to get a taste of summer every month of the year thanks to the juicy, delicious fruit being available year round - even when it's freezing! 

They're not just a delicious snack, they're also bursting with nutrients, making them the perfect fruit says Dietitian and Nutritionist Jemma O'Hanlon. 

"Pineapples not only make for a sweet winter treat, but they are also an excellent source of vitamin C, so they may help support your immune system to fight those pesky winter colds," said Jemma. "As a source of fibre, pineapplesmay also help keep your gut healthy and happy." 

Serves: 10
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 50 minutes

Ingredients
2 cups wholemeal flour
½ cup desiccated coconut
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 bananas, mashed
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 cup pineapple, finely diced or blitzed in food processor
¾ cup milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
¼ cup honey
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
Desiccated coconut, to decorate
Ground cinnamon, to decorate
Pineapple pieces, to decorate

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C fan forced. Line a medium size loaf tin with baking paper.
Combine flour, coconut and cinnamon in a bowl.
In a separate bowl, combine mashed bananas, vanilla essence, pineapple, milk, eggs, honey and extra virgin olive oil.
Add the pineapple mixture to the dry ingredients and gently mix to just combine. Note: be careful to not overmix.
Pour the batter into the loaf tin, top with the slices of pineapple, sprinkle of cinnamon and desiccated coconut.
Bake in the oven for 50-60 minutes, or until cooked through.

Recipe from @thebitingtruth/