Fruity Banana Bread 

This is as close to Fruit Cake as I want to get! Fruity Banana Bread is a healthier version of the traditional Moist Banana Bread I normally bake.  Only this is loaded with plumped craisins, golden raisins, and big pecan pieces.  So moist, so GOOD!

HERE'S ALL YOU NEED

• 1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (3 to 4 medium)
• 1/3 cup water

• 1/2 cup dried cranberries rehydrated
• 1/2 cup golden raisins, rehydrated
• 1 cup old fashion oats, with a coarse flour consistency
• 2/3 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup pecan pieces

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup butter
• 2 eggs

Heat oven to 325ºF degrees. Grease loaf pan with shortening, then dust with flour.

Rehydrate cranberries and raisins  together in hot water for up to 5 minutes, then DRAIN off water.  Use a one cup food processor to quickly cut oats down to a fine coarse consistency, run the processor for up to a good minute.

In a small bowl, use your potato masher to mash bananas and water together until semi-smooth, no big chunks.

Combine oat flour, flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl.  VERY IMPORTANT STEP HERE: Toss in the cranberries, raisins and pecans and get them well coated.

In an electric mixer bowl, blend sugar and butter on medium speed until fluffy. Add eggs until blended.  Reduce speed to STIR, then add mashed bananas.  Turn mixer speed to STIR and add in dry ingredients  just until moistened.

Pour bread batter into pan. Bake 50 minutes, until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Loosen sides of loaf from pan, invert pan onto a cake plate and allow to cool completely before slicing.  If you can truly resist it, wait to eat it for the NEXT DAY.  The second and third day, possibly the fourth if there's any leftover, are the BEST DAYS to eat this bread.

If you want to take a few more steps to the healthy side, here's what I suggest.

• Cut the sugar back to 1/4 cup, and add an extra ripe banana to keep the sweetness the same.
• Substitute the butter for margarine, then omit the salt.
• Substitute the 2 whole eggs with 1/2 cup healthy egg substitute or 4 egg whites.

Now GO, BAKE!
then come back & tell me how it turned out for you.