Fruit-sweetened whole grain carrot bread flavoured with dates, banana, and ginger makes for a healthy, delicious breakfast or snack. Vegan and sugar-free.The original plan here was to go with very classic carrot cake flavours, cinnamon and maybe a little nutmeg. Ginger and carrots are best buds, though, and adding a little fresh ginger gives it a bit of spice and makes everything more exciting in the carrot bread department. Stick with fresh unless you absolutely have to use dried – it really makes a difference.
Ingredients280 grams / 2 cups whole grain spelt flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 medium overripe banana
120 grams / 1/2 cup soft dates
60 ml / 1/4 cup olive oil
250 ml / 1 cup nondairy milk, oat, almond
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely grated
200 grams / 1 cup packed shredded carrots
Coconut Yogurt Glaze60 ml / 1/4 cup thick coconut yogurt
3 tablespoons Juice of a lemon
1-2 teaspoons maple syrup or honey, to taste
Method* Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F and grease a standard loaf tin. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
* Using a food processor, blend the banana, dates, and olive oil until smooth.
* Add the milk and ginger, then pulse to combine. Alternatively, you can blend them all in a high-powered blender together if you have one. Stir in the shredded carrots.
* Add the date mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined and no streaks of flour remain.
* Place the batter into the prepared baking tin, and bake for 50-55 minutes, or until golden and a toothpick can be inserted and come out clean.
* Cool for 15 minutes before removing the bread from the tin and cooling completely on a rack. Store in a sealed container at room temperature for 3-5 days.
* To make the glaze, place all of the ingredients into a bowl and whisk with a fork until combined. Drizzle over the cooled loaf and serve immediately.
* The glaze will soak in after about an hour, so if you're going to save it for later, just add it to individual slices straight from the refrigerator.