Cottage Cheese Banana Bread

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven & prepare pan:
   Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper for easy removal.
2. Mash bananas:
   In a large mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork until smooth and mostly lump-free.
3. Add wet ingredients:
   To the mashed bananas, add the eggs, cottage cheese, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Whisk or stir until everything is fully combined and the mixture looks creamy.
4. Incorporate dry ingredients:
   Add almond flour, baking soda, and cinnamon to the wet mixture. Stir until just combined — do not overmix. If using mix-ins (like chocolate chips, walnuts, or blueberries), fold them in gently at this stage.
5. Transfer to pan:
   Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth out the top with a spatula.
6. Bake:
   Bake for 45–55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top is golden brown. If it begins to brown too quickly, loosely tent with foil halfway through baking.
7. Cool & serve:
   Let the bread cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely. Slice and enjoy warm or at room temperature.

Tips:

• Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
• Tastes amazing toasted with a smear of almond butter or a drizzle of extra maple syrup!
• Freezes well for up to 2 months — just slice before freezing for easy grab-and-go servings.