Spent Grain Banana Bread

Warning: This banana bread is not for the traditionalist.

It's earthy. It's grainy. And it's not for the faint-hearted. And that's because it's made with one very peculiar ingredient: spent grains.

Spent grains are, in essence, what's leftover after a brewing session. In the brewing process, you steep malted barley to extract all of the sugars, proteins and nutrients to create the base of your beer (know in the brewing world as wort). After sucking the life out of the barley, you are left with a load of totally useless grains.

Or so you think.

While many commercial brewers use their spent grains for cattle feed (high five to those guys and gals), I prefer to use mine to make delicious recipes edible by humans.

One of my all-time favorites is my oh so heavenly spent grain banana bread. Let's begin.

What You'll Need

• 1 C. spent grain flour (see steps below)
• 3/4 C. unbleached all-purpose flour (or whichever other alternative flour you prefer)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 5 Tbs. butter
• 3/4 C. sugar
• 2 ripe-ass bananas
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten 
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• Pecans or walnuts (totally optional)

Step 1. Preheat your oven to the lowest setting possible (175 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit). 

Step 2. You need spent grains! If you don't have any, I know someone who does (wink-wink). Place those puppies on an ungreased baking sheet in a 1/4 inch thick layer.

Step 3. Stick them in the oven, and let 'em bake for 5 to 7 hours, until completely dried out. I like to give mine a little stir after about 3 hours to prevent from burning/sticking. And then, voila! You're ready to get your grind on.

Step 4.  Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step 5. Spoon your dried grains into a coffee grinder and grind until a fine flour forms.

Step 6. Gently combine your spent flours, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a larger mixing bowl. 

Step 7. In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together. Add the eggs and banana and stir to incorporate.

Step 8. Add the batter to the flour mixture in two or three parts. Mix until well combined. 

Step 9. Transfer delicious, gritty, banana-y batter into a buttered baking pan. If I had it my way, I would add pecans throughout (texture, baby!), but I like to share my banana bread and realize not everyone fancies nuts. I settle for a sprinkle of pecan halves on one end, along with some generous spoonfuls of brown sugar across the top.

Step 10. Stick in the oven for 50 to 60 minutes, and wait to be mesmerized. I like to check mine after about 45 minutes. Baked goods, in my opinion, are best left a little gooey.

Step 11. Remove from oven, and wallow in that banana bread bliss, baby.

Step 12. Slice and stuff (after letting cool for about 30 minutes, of course). And after topping it off with some almond butter. YUM!

Not all of my recipes will include spent grains, but this honestly just sounded so decadent that I couldn't resist making it and sharing it with you all. 

If you'd like to give this recipe a whirl, drop me a note, and I'll hook you up with them grains, girl (or guy).

Cheers!