This recipe puts ripe bananas to good use. A favorite in days of yore, when The New Deli delivered to health food stores throughout the Bay Area.

Store ripened bananas in the refrigerator for up to a week, if not making this recipe right away. And if desired, 2 1/4 c. freshly-ground whole wheat flour can be substituted for the all-purpose flour, flax seed, and bran. Makes 2 8" loaves.

Ingredients:

• 2 1 3/4 c. walnuts1 c. brown sugar
• Slightly rounded 1/8 c. molasses (2 TBS.)
  
• 1 2/3 c. all-purpose flour
• 1/3 c. wheat bran
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 2 TBS. flax seed, ground into meal*
• 1 1/2 c. mashed, ripe bananas (about 4-5 ripe bananas; almost 2 1/2 lb. to start)
• 2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter or oil two 8" bread pans.

Toast in oven 8-10 minutes until golden: > 1 3/4 c. walnuts

Into a mixer bowl, blend together: > 1 c. brown sugar > slightly rounded 1/8 c. molasses > 1 2/3 c. all-purpose flour > 1/3 c. wheat bran > 1/2 tsp. salt > 1 tsp. baking soda > 2 TBS. flax seed, ground into meal*

Set the above mix aside. In separate bowl, use a potato masher to "puree" the banana: > 1 1/2 c. mashed, ripe bananas (about 4-5 ripe bananas; almost 2 1/2 lb. to start)

Stir into the mashed banana: > 2 eggs
To the bowl of banana and egg, add: > The sugar/flour mixture > The toasted walnuts

Pour batter into pans, bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes, until toothpick in center comes out clean.

* A small electric coffee grinder does well to whir the flax seeds into meal   

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