Banana Date "Fruitted" Loaf

 So named because it was a heck of a lot shorter than " Gosh, I'd better use up the rest of this fruit basket before it's too late".

Fresh orange juice and zest, apples, dried cranberries and other delectable fruits.  So incredibly moist, dark and flavorful much like a fruitcake if a fruitcake tasted good.  Actually, I like fruitcake, but not that junk at the grocery store. A friend of mine would make a Jamaican rum fruit cake where she soaked the fruit in the rum for 6 months a head of time. It was made with beautiful peak of the season  fruits and not the chopped gelatinous cup of little square dyed cups of grossness.

I love this warm (with a little butter if you wish) for breakfast or a snack.  Very low in gluten (or none if you want

) and it can easily be made vegan instead of vegetarian.   Somebody make me one for Mother's Day!

Preheat oven to 375. 

Dry ingredients:
Combine in a bowl and set aside.
1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 cup flour mix (other blog) or gluten free baking flour mix
1/2 cup oatmeal
2 Tablespoons whole wheat pastry
2 Tablespoons plant protein or whey
2 Tablespoons magic mix (other blog)
1/2 cup coconut sugar (or your personal choice)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda.
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Wet ingredients::
zest and juice of one large navel orange
2 eggs, beaten, or vegan equivalent (it will make a flatter looking loaf, but just as tasty)
1/4 cup melted (and slightly cooled) coconut oil

Fruit:
Fruit should equal about 1 1/2 cups after chopping:
1/2  finely chopped apple
6 medjool dates
2-3 Tablespoons dried cranberries
other assorted finely chopped fruits of your choice. (I used figs, dried apricots etc.)


Method:
Soak the dates and any other dried fruits with just enough hot water to cover them. Set aside.
Beat the 2 eggs and add the zest and juice of the orange.  Beat in the coconut oil. Make sure it has cooled enough that it doesn't curdle the eggs. Set aside.

Drain and finely chop the dried fruits saving the water in case you need it later.
Combine wet ingredients with the dry and mix well. Stir in the fruit.
*if the batter looks too dry, add 1 Tablespoon at a time of the warm liquid the fruits were soaked in until it reaches the desired batter consistency. It depends on how large the orange was, the size of the eggs etc.
 Pour into sprayed loaf pan and bake on center rack for 1 hour.  Check after 50 minutes, it will depend on the accuracy of your oven.  It is done when the tester comes out clean.  Let cool and slice.

Dang, now I've got to go make one.  See ya!