MACARAMEL BANANA LOAF

Yesterday was Sunday, and the smell of this Macaramel Banana Loaf around the flat, was outrageous!

This recipe, a cycle-synced twist on the classic all-time favourite, has been thought through entirely, to be a functional food designed to meet your body’s needs in the second half of your cycle.

Read the Luteal Phase -specific benefits of this recipe,

OR

Jump straight to recipe ->

Baking is a GREAT thing to do in your Luteal Phase - its mindful, its slow, its homey… and especially when making such a nutritious recipe like this, its a nurturing act of self-care! (and care for anyone you decide to share this with!)

Baking can be both a nutritional and emotional support tool during the Luteal Phase. Physiologically, the body often craves warm, grounding, carbohydrate-rich foods to help produce serotonin, which naturally declines during this time. Baked items—especially those made with hormone-supportive ingredients—can help stabilize blood sugar, improve mood, and offer sustained energy. Emotionally, the act of baking can serve as a calming, mindful ritual that supports the natural inward shift of this phase, creating a sense of comfort and nourishment that aligns with the body’s need for rest and reflection.

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LUTEAL PHASE -SPECIFIC:

MACROS:

Fiber & carbohydrates: = the most dominant macro of this recipe. 

Carbs are what’s going to provide sustained energy (especially when paired with fats - as per this recipe) and ensure that serotonin is produced and released. Yes, thats carbs. Here we have the brown rice flour, the nanas, the dates.

Plenty of fiber in this recipe too to stabilise the release & blood sugars - in the flax seeds, the dates, the nanas, and brown rice flour. 

Fats: Healthy fats that are essential for hormone building, and this is the “high hormone phase”. Additionally, fats provide long-lasting energy - also what we need in this phase, especially whilst the body burns up to 250kcal EXTRA per day, fats are a must in this phase.

In this recipe specifically, (healthy) fats are found in the flax seeds, almond flour, walnuts, tahini. 

Protein: relatively low in protein, though (not vegan - thus) contains eggs, and nuts (almonds & walnuts) also provide some protein. 

COOKING STYLE:

BAKED! Perfect!

Warm, warming, (slow) cooked, and densely nourishing.  

INGREDIENTS / NUTRITIONAL PROFILE:

Bananas: contain a high content of vitamin B6, which supports neurotransmitter function and can help stabilize mood as progesterone rises. They also provide potassium, a key mineral that helps regulate fluid balance and reduce common premenstrual symptoms like bloating or water retention. Their natural sugars offer a gentle energy boost and can help curb sugar cravings without causing a sharp spike in blood sugar.

Tahini (sesame seeds):, made from ground sesame seeds, is rich in healthy fats, magnesium, zinc, and calcium—all nutrients that support hormone balance and reduce luteal phase symptoms. Magnesium plays a role in relaxing the nervous system and easing irritability or cramps. Zinc supports the metabolism of progesterone, which is dominant in this phase, and helps strengthen immune function. The fats in tahini also support steady energy and satiety, helping to reduce cravings and blood sugar fluctuations. 

Brown rice (flour): Brown rice is a complex carbohydrate that supports blood sugar stability and provides a slow-releasing source of energy, both of which are essential as the body shifts toward a more restorative, lower-energy state. It also contains B vitamins and magnesium, which aid in hormone synthesis and nervous system regulation. When used as a flour, brown rice offers a nutrient-dense alternative in baked goods that supports digestive health and hormonal resilience.

Dates: are naturally sweet, fiber-rich fruits that offer potassium and magnesium, both of which support fluid balance and help ease common PMS symptoms such as fatigue, bloating, and irritability. Their high fiber content supports digestion, which can slow during the luteal phase due to increased progesterone. Additionally, the natural sugars in dates provide a sustained energy release, helping to combat the lower energy and increased cravings typical of this phase.

Maca powder: Maca is a root adaptogen known for its ability to support hormonal balance and energy regulation—two key focus areas during the luteal phase. It works by nourishing the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which helps regulate stress and hormone production. This can be especially beneficial as progesterone peaks and begins to drop, often triggering mood shifts or fatigue. Maca also supports libido, cognitive function, and may help ease PMS symptoms such as irritability and low motivation. Its naturally sweet, earthy flavour is perfect in baked goods (it can be a bit of a funny taste sometimes..!), making it both a functional and flavourful perfect addition to luteal phase recipes.

Miso paste: is a fermented food that contains probiotics, which support gut health and, by extension, hormone balance and immune function. During the luteal phase, digestion can become slower, and incorporating fermented foods like miso can support a healthier gut environment. Miso also contains zinc, manganese, and B vitamins—all of which contribute to better mood regulation, metabolism, and cellular energy.

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Macaramel Banana Loaf:

(10-12 servings)

Ingredients:

FOR THE BATTER:

Wet:

3 very ripe bananas

3 eggs

1 tbsp tahini 

1 tsp vanilla extract

Dry:

3/4 cup (100g) brown rice flour

1 cup (100g) almond flour

1/2 cup walnuts

1 tbsp ground flax seeds

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1/2 tsp sea salt

For the maca-date-caramel:

10-12 dates 

(1 cup water)

1 tsp maca powder

1 tsp miso paste

2 tbsp coconut yoghurt or cream

To top (when serving):

Tahini-miso (1 tbsp tahini, 1 tsp miso paste, 2 tbsp coconut yoghurt, 1/2 tbsp honey)

Coconut yoghurt

Banana slices

Honey or maple syrup (to drizzle)

Sesame seeds

Method:

Preheat the oven to 170’C a loaf tin/s with baking parchment, or grease with coconut oil.

Start by making the caramel; place the dates and 1 cup of water into a small saucepan, bring to a boil, and simmer on low for around 10-15 mins with a lid on slightly ajar.

I use a blender wherever I can, so I added all the wet ingredients to my blender to blend until smooth. (If you don’t have a blender, mash the ripe bananas and whisk to combine with the eggs, coconut oil and vanilla.)

Combine the dry ingredients (brown rice flour, ground almonds, walnuts, ground flax seeds, cinnamon, ginger powder, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt) in a large mixing bowl. 

Combine the wet and the dry, then ALLOW TO SIT FOR 5-10 minutes

(This is when you can finish making the maca-date-caramel);

Once the dates are softened, remove the pan from the heat, and strain (but reserve) the liquid from the dates. Place the dates with all the remaining ingredients for the maca-date-caramel into a bowl OR BLENDER, along with 2 tbsp date liquid and mash together using a fork (or blend). Chunky and rustic is nice, but if you want a totally smooth caramel, blend with a blender until smooth.

Take the greased loaf tin, and spoon a few scoops of batter to cover the base. Then dollop on a few spoons of the date caramel, evenly spaced, and swirl into the batter with the spoon. Cover these with a few more scoops of batter, finish the date caramel into the loaf, and use a spatula to scrape out the remaining batter into the loaf tin. 

Use a knife or skewer to draw a line from the top and back down again through the batter; this will gently incorporate the caramel giving it a marbled effect.

Place the loaf in the oven to bake for 35-40 minutes, until risen, and the top is nicely browned.

Whilst baking, prepare miso-tahini by combining the miso and tahini in a small bowl, with a splash of water, and the coconut yoghurt. Add a spoon of honey or maple syrup if you like, or save that to sizzle on top when serving. 

Remove from the tin to place onto a cooling rack, either using the baking paper to pull it out, or use oven gloves to tip it out.

Allow to cool (slightly… because banana bread is insanely good when its warm and fresh out of the oven!), slice, top, and serve. 

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GET MORE OUT OF THIS RECIPE:

• Top with blueberries (also amazing), or heck, even add blueberries into the batter

• Traditionally, banana bread will have banana slices on top too, so if you’d like to do that too - go for it! (Then your total banana count will be 4x for this recipe)

• Make 2x batches and freeze! Defrosts very well as a whole loaf (cool completely, wrap in cling film, freeze, then just leave out to defrost overnight). Or slice and freeze and pop a couple of slices into the toaster or oven when you fancy!

• Also (a bit of a random one..!) I made a banana bread French toast with this, and it was delicious! Would recommend!