Banana Pecan Oatmeal Bread

When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. When life gives you bananas, you make banana bread. Hearty and delicious, this is a time-honoured, kid-approved favourite. Serve for breakfast or slice it up and pack it up in lunch bags.

Ingredients

1/2 cup Large Flake Quaker^® Oats or Quick Quaker^® Oats (uncooked)
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1-1/2 tablespoons margarine or butter, melted
1 cup Large Flake Quaker^® Oats or Quick Quaker^® Oats (uncooked)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup fat-free milk
1 cup mashed, very ripe bananas (about 3 medium)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

How to make it

Heat oven to 350° F. Spray bottom only of 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Combine all topping ingredients; set aside.
For bread, combine oats and milk; let stand 10 minutes. Add bananas, oil and eggs to oat mixture; mix well.
Combine dry ingredients. Add oat mixture to dry ingredients all at once; stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. (Do NOT over mix!)
Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle evenly with reserved topping; pat gently. Bake 55 to 65 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in centre comes out clean.
Cool 10 minutes in pan; remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Store tightly wrapped.