I know we all did banana bread to death in lockdowns, but it really can be a healthy, nutrient dense booster for breakfast, break time, after school, before bed – if you get the ingredients right. Here’s my recipe with no nut options. This a brilliant after school/work/gym snack especially if you/your kids are doing loads of sport and want something sweet and filling immediately – but you want it to be nourishing for the body and mind too. It’s got lots of hormone supporting ingredients in it too so great for all, but especially puberty and perimenopause.

This makes a tray bake approx 30cm x 20cm

• Cup of pumpkin seeds (all nuts and seeds are a source of healthy fats which support hormones and nervous system)
• Cup of walnuts (swap for sunflower seeds for no nuts)
• Cup of hemp seeds
• Whizz these up in a blender so they are in small pieces but a bit of texture
• Cup of flaxseed/ground nuts and seeds mixture (more healthy fats and also lots of fibre to help digestion – polite way of saying: helps you poo more regularly)
• 2 cups of wholemeal flour (fibre, and carbohydrate for energy)
• 4 eggs (great protein and B vitamins for energy)
• 3 frozen/fresh banana (source of sweetness, potassium, B vitamins, fibre)
• 8 prunes (great for helping digestion)
• 250g butter, melted (calcium for bones)
• 50g dark chocolate – chuck it in with the butter to melt (antioxidants, and tastes good!)
• 4 tablespoons plain yoghurt (calcium to build bones, and protein to build muscle and help regulate hunger)
• Tablespoon of cinnamon (antioxidants)
• Baking powder

Whizz it all up (do any whole nuts and seeds separately first, then add these in – otherwise they tend to stay whole and a bit too big in the mouth), whack it in the oven (180degrees C for approx 25 minutes), and you’ve got a healthy snack that tastes great.  Let me know how you get on. Serve with a dollop of greek yoghurt  for another hit of protein. You’ll notice there’s no sugar in the recipe. If you’re already thinking “well that won’t be sweet enough” just give it a try. The sweetness comes from the prunes, cinnamon and bananas. Even my builders liked it so it can’t be that bad without sugar!