BANANNA WALNUT CAKE

Energy is something we all look forward to begin our day with.  In this fast paced life, where we are all short of time, and are always on the run, and unhealthy cravings and food are readily available , it is very important that we pay a little attention which will help us in the longer run.

“Health is Wealth” goes a very old saying – and it is true.  If we are healthy, we can push ourselves,  strain a little more, work towards that goal and yet be there for our families spending time with them and making them smile.   But for all this we need to be healthy mentally and physically.  Good food and exercise is what counts.  We should not ignore these two aspects at any cost.  It is not always possible that you eat the most healthy food, but what I am stressing here is try and maintain a balance.  If you are gorging on heavy hotel  food at one meal, try and keep the others light  and healthy.  Or even if you are travelling and are eating all your meals in a hotel, try and include more salads, fruits and grilled. Avoid the salad dressings though.  However much those fried potatoes and the dessert bar calls you  to look their way – avoid the temptation.   You might be sad momentarily, but you will be happy in the times to come.  

If you are someone like I was, just a month or so before, without a trace of guilt on eating calorie laden, sinful food, and could go on and on without winking an eyelid, then stop it immediately.  Awaken yourself and start to think what it could do to your arteries and other important body functions just a few years from now. 

Eat sensibly and small quantities of food you love, to be able to eat them till you are alive.  And exercise is imperative to keep your body fit. 

I am sharing with you a easy to do yet very healthy bake, which you can make ahead and keep in the fridge or outside (if the weathers cool) and have whenever the craving strikes. 

WHOLEWHEAT BANANA WALNUT CAKE

Prep Time – 5 minutes

Cooking Time –  30-40 minutes (if you are baking a cake) and 15-20 minutes (if its muffins)

Makes – 1 big loaf of cake or about 10- 12 muffins

Ingredients

2 cups wholewheat flour (I used Azam Whole Wheat Atta)

1 tspn baking powder

¼ tspn – baking soda

1 egg (room temperature) or substitute with ½ cup plain yoghurt

¾ cup – light brown sugar

2 ripe bananas

½ cup – refined vegetable oil

¼ tspn  - cinnamon powder

¼ cup – chopped walnuts

1 tspn  - vanilla essence

Method

Preheat oven to 160 deg

In a pan add the wheatflour, cinnamon powder,  baking soda and powder and mix well.  If you wish, you can sieve these together

In a separate pan beat the oil and the egg. If you are using yoghurt – beat the oil and sugar and add into the dry flour and add the whisked yoghurt and mix everything together.

Now add the sugar and and mix well.  You don’t have to beat it to melt

Add the vanilla essence and mix

Now pour this into the flour and combine properly. 

Mash the bananas and mix them and the walnuts into the batter and fold in well.  If the batter is too thick add in some milk and combine well.  The batter should not be very runny

Pour into greased and dusted cake tin or muffin cups and bake as suggested in the beginning of the recipe.

Check with a toothpick to see if baked entirely.