Ingredients:

3 very ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 ½ cups)

½ cup applesauce

3 tbsp canola oil (or melted butter)

3 eggs

zest of one orange

1½ tsp vanilla extract

¾ cup brown sugar (you can add 1/4 cup more to taste)

1¾ cups white whole wheat flour

1 cup rolled oats

1 tsp baking soda

1 ½ tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp ground cloves

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

¼ tsp ground ginger

¼ tsp salt

1 cup carrots, peeled and shredded

¾ cups dried cranberries

1 cup almonds, sliced

¼ cup apple sauce (glaze)

¼ powdered sugar (glaze)

¼ tsp almond extract (glaze)

1 tsp butter (glaze)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and coat loaf pans (1 lg 1 sm) or muffin pan with cooking spray.

2. In a medium bowl the mashed bananas, applesauce, canola oil, eggs, orange zest, vanilla, and brown sugar with a hand mixer (or stand mixer) until well incorporated.

3. In a separate bowl combine flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, and salt.

4. Stir the shredded carrots, dried cranberries, and ¾ cup of the sliced almonds into the dry ingredients, to coat – this helps keep them from clumping in the batter.

5. Gently add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until combined, don’t over work or your bread will be too chewy. Pour in the batter into the prepared pans or muffin tray and distribute evenly. Top the batter with the rest of the sliced almonds.

6. Bake on the middle rack for 60-70 minutes for loaves, or 45-50 for muffins, until toothpick comes out clean.

7. Allow to cool in the pan for about 15 minutes then remove to a cooling rack for another 20-30 minutes.

8. If you want to glaze them, mix glaze ingredients together microwave for 30 seconds and stir until smooth – drizzle over completely cooled bread and allow to sit 30 minutes to set up. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days or you can freeze them up to 1 month.

Bon Appetit!