Lately I’ve been a little obsessed with farro. It’s a whole grain with a nutty flavor similar to brown rice, but larger and has a more substantial bite. It is rich in fiber, magnesium and vitamins A, B, C, and E. I’ll post some farro-centric recipes in the near future, but I thought I’d start with a banana bread that is free of oils and uses primarily fruits to sweeten the batter. The addition of oats with the farro gives this bread a great, satisfying texture.

RECIPE: Guilt-free Whole Wheat Banana Farro Bread

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup oats (2 TBSP reserved)
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 cup of overripe banana, mashed
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup cooked farrow
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup milk (almond, goat, skim or coconut)

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 350. Coat a loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. In large mixing bowl combine banana, applesauce, syrup, egg, milk and vanilla until well mixed. In a separate bowl, add flour, oats, farro, walnuts, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until combined, being careful to not overmix. Pour batter into pan, sprinkle the top with oats and bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Do not overbake. Wrap leftover bread tightly to keep from drying out. Enjoy!