You know summer has arrived when cherries start appearing in the markets. I always correlate cherries with such happy childhood memories – there was a weekly outdoor concert series in the local park that my parents used to take me and my sister to during the summer. My mom would pack a picnic with all sorts of goodies – but the cherries are what I remember most. I’m pretty sure I stained more clothing than I can remember, but what fun we had!

The other day I made cherry oatmeal that was delicious – I knew immediately I wanted to create a baked good with them as well. I came home from work to 5 super ripe bananas and this combination was born!

If you’ve never baked with buckwheat flour, it’ll be a new taste that may take a bit to get used to – I absolutely love it, but it’s on the nuttier side if you’re used to white flour. If you normally bake with wheat flour, it won’t be as big of an adjustment. It happens to be gluten free and vegan (I’m neither), coincidentally, so if you follow either of those diets it’ll be suitable for you.

Here’s how you make it (1 loaf – 1.5 inches high):

1. Preheat your oven to 180C/375F
2. Grease a loaf pan, if necessary
3. Split and pit 1 cup of cherries into a small bowl – set aside
4. Mash 5 super ripe bananas in a large mixing bowl
5. Add 2 tsp cinnamon, dash vanilla, dash nutmeg, 4 tbsp maple syrup and 4 tbsp almond milk and almost all of the cherries (keep a few to put on the top before baking, for presentation purposes) to the mashed bananas – mix well
6. Mix 2 cups of buckwheat flour into the banana mixture until everything is fully combined – set aside
7. Melt 4 tbsp coconut oil over low heat until fully melted – pour into banana mixture and mix well
8. Pour the batter into the loaf pan, top with the few remaining cherries and bake for 35-40 minutes, uncovered

To note:

• If you want to make this more “desserty”, add dark chocolate chips/chunks
• If you want more of a crunch, add walnuts or pecans
• I love to eat this with almond or cashew butter
• If you don’t have cherries, you could substitute with strawberries, blueberries or raspberries

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cherries
• 5 super ripe bananas
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• dash vanilla
• dash nutmeg
• 4 tbsp maple syrup
• 4 tbsp unsweetened almond milk
• 2 cups buckwheat flour
• 4 tbsp coconut oil

I think you’ll love this healthy breakfast option – it will keep you full for the entire morning! Assuming you like the hearty taste of buckwheat flour, you could start using it for any baked goods, pancakes, waffles, etc. – really anything you use traditional flour for!

Cheers!

CHH