Carrot Date Banana Nut Loaf

This is hands down the best loaf you'll ever eat!

You'll need:

1 cup chopped dates
1/2 cup water
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
2 ripe bananas
1 cup lightly packed shredded carrot
1 cup chopped walnuts
1  1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tbsps chia seeds
2 tbsps ground flaxseed
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp nutmeg
4 tbsps pumpkin seeds (plus more to garnish)

Boil dates and water together for about 5 minutes, then mash them with the back of a spoon. Stir in the baking soda...it foams up weirdly. That's ok.

Beat butter, sugar and vanilla together then add the egg. Add the bananas, carrot and walnuts along with the date mixture.

Mix the whole wheat flour, graham crumbs, chia, flaxseed, baking powder and nutmeg together. Fold in the pumpkin seeds.

Pour into a parchment lined 9 X 5" loaf pan and top with more pumpkin seeds.

Bake at 355 F for 60 - 75 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Cool at least 10 minutes before removing from pan. Peel off the parchment and cool completely on rack covered with a tea towel before slicing.

Here's a close-up...look at all that good stuff!