BANANA DATE LOAF WITH HONEY SPICED LABNE

SERVES 8 PREP + COOK 1 HOUR 40 MINS + OVERNIGHT REFRIGERATION ½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts ½ cup traditional rolled oats 1 tbsp coconut oil 1 tbsp pure maple syrup 1 cup mashed ripe banana 2 tsp vanilla extract ¾ cup buttermilk 200g Medjool dates, pitted, chopped coarsely 2 cups high-fibre self-raising flour 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 1½ tsp baking powder

cup coconut oil, extra HONEY-SPICED LABNE 500g Greek-style yoghurt 2 tbsp honey 2 tsp ground cardamom 1 HONEY-SPICED LABNE

Line a sieve with muslin and place over a medium bowl. Spoon yoghurt into sieve. Gather cloth and tie into a ball with kitchen string. Refrigerate 24 hours, gently squeezing occasionally to encourage the liquid to drain. Reserve ½ cup of draining liquid to add in step 4. Place labne in a medium bowl with honey and cardamom. Mix well. Chill until required.

Preheat oven to 180ºc. Grease and line a 10cm x 20cm loaf pan with baking paper. Drizzle with oil, to serve.

Combine walnuts, oats, coconut oil and maple syrup in a bowl. Place half the walnut mixture on an oven tray lined with baking paper. Bake 10 mins or until golden. Cool.

Place banana, extract, reserved labne liquid, buttermilk and half the dates in a blender. Blend until smooth.

Sift flour, soda and baking powder into a large bowl. Add banana mixture, remaining dates, extra coconut oil and roasted walnut mixture. Stir to combine. Spoon mixture into pan, smooth surface. Sprinkle with remaining walnut mixture.

Bake 1 hour 10 mins or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Leave in pan 15 mins, turn, top-side up, onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Serve bread with honey spiced labne.