Holiday Bread

Banana-Date Flaxseed Bread

I am a baker. I love the smell of bread baking in the oven. I love sharing what I have baked with others. At Christmas time I have the tradition of making Poppy Seed bread and giving it to friends, family and neighbors as a gift. When the kids were little the list of people for whom we made bread was long since it included teachers, coaches and those who shared in our active children's lives. I secretly delighted in baking all that bread and in providing the loaves for my kid's list. They loved giving it to others. It made my heart glad.

It is that time of year again! This year, though, I am looking for a healthier bread. Never fear, I will still make my Poppy Seed bread but I also want to add a healthier bread to my stable. I am even planning on sending these breads to friends and family by mail. This will also be a new adventure. So I have been looking for a healthier bread that I think will mail well. I think I have found it- Banana-Date Flaxseed Bread.

I baked a test loaf this past weekend to try it out. It looked great coming out of the oven; it makes an attractive loaf. It smells heavenly and is packed full of healthy ingredients. It has both flaxseed meal and flaxseeds in it along with banana and dates. My husband, my daughter and I tried it out. It was tasty and had a nice "nutty" flavor to it. Not only will this be good with butter, but I can also see making cream cheese sandwiches with it. The best is that it is a dense bread so I think it will travel well. It will also be a nice complement to the Poppy Seed bread.

Combine this bread with a green tea and it is guaranteed we will stay healthy through the holidays!