Smart Food in a Beautiful Place

This weekend, four very smart people, three very intelligent pets, and myself went on a trip. There, we were surrounded by beauty and science, always the best of combinations.

















There, we also had a smart breakfast. Artists and scientists (and people who were both artists AND scientists) alike devoured this breakfast, and everyone proclaimed it delicious. None of them realized the intelligence of the breakfast, that it had the power to help lower cholesterol and protect against a variety of cancers. That didn't matter though, because if they knew the science behind it, they may not have enjoyed the art of it quite so much.

When Art Meets Science Banana Bread

The magic ingredients are the flaxseed, whole wheat, yogurt and walnuts. Two superfoods and two super-fibers in one heavenly loaf. But even better, this is a moist banana-y bread, especially delicious when smeared with butter or cream cheese. Does that defeat the science of it? Nah.

You will need:
1/2 cup butter at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons flaxseed meal
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about three)
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup coarsely chopped walnut halves

To make the bread:
Preheat your oven to 350 and butter a large loaf pan.

In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugar until pale yellow and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and beat to combine.

In another bowl, sift together flours, flaxseed meal, baking soda, and salt. Using a spatula, mix the flour mixture into the butter mixture, folding until just combined. Add bananas, yogurt, vanilla and mix gently, again until just combined. Fold in walnuts.

Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for an hour and ten minutes, or until your finger doesn't leave an indentation when you gently press the top. Remove from the oven and let the loaf rest for ten minutes or so before releasing it on a cooling rack.

The bread should keep, if wrapped, on the counter for a week.