Recipe: (The Best!) Healthy Banana Bread (2024)

Recipe: (The Best!) Healthy Banana Bread (1)


Ummm, so.... I have a confession... I'm kinda sorta a banana bread snob. A nicer way to put it would be that I'm a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to banana bread - or maybe I'm like Goldilocks...

It has to be justright. Justdense enough, moist enough, banana-y enough - you know the drift.

I've tried just about every banana bread recipe there is, but I've never been content. I've tried "The Best Ever Banana Bread Recipe"s the "Ultimate Banana Bread Recipe"s, "The Only Banana Bread Recipe You'll Ever Need" - but they weren't perfect.

So I did what I do best - I kept on trying new combinations because just one tiny little thing could have been better - until now....

Recipe: (The Best!) Healthy Banana Bread (3)

You see, when I was younger, Mum wouldoccasionallybuy or make us banana bread as a special treat. Warm and toasted with butter - crispy crunchy edges and soft dense centres.

But I didn't want banana cakebread filled with sugar and three tonnes of butter. I wanted to create a healthy version that was still absolutely perfect- and you'll be happy to know I succeeded!

After batch after batch after batch, I've come up with the perfect fail proof recipe. There's no funky ingredients and there's also no sugar, no oil, no gluten and only a tiny little bit of butter.

Recipe: (The Best!) Healthy Banana Bread (5)

What I created was a Healthy Banana Bread Recipe that was all of what good banana bread should be - but without all of the extra baggage banana bread usually has. I wanted a recipe that was healthy enough to eat for breakfast because, well, who doesn't want banana bread for breakfast?!

Jesse and I were obsessed from the first bite - and enjoyed a slice of our banana bread toasted and topped with butter for breakfast with a side of fresh fruit. Jesse tried all of his usual tricks - telling me "oh Kristy, you forgot to give me breakfast this morning", trying to hide the banana bread so I wouldn't eat it, suddenly feigning amnesia so he could get another slice - and now he watches the ripening bananas like a hawk waiting for another batch of banana bread to be made.

This is seriously the only banana bread recipe you need because it's so so good - so good, in-fact, the even my fussy Mama gave it the thumbs up!

A healthy banana bread made with applesauce that still tastes good? Yep! It can be done!

So let me give you the recipe >>

Dessert, Snacks, Healthy, Gluten Free, Banana Bread

Dessert, Baked Goods, Cakes

Yield: 6-10 thick slices = 1 small/medium loafAuthor: Southern In Law

Recipe: (The Best!) Healthy Banana Bread (7)

The Best Healthy Banana Bread Recipe

Hundreds of recipes promise to be The Best Banana Bread Recipe - but Kristy was never satisfied... so she created a Healthy Banana Bread Recipe that is low fat, gluten free, sugar free and healthy enough to eat for breakfast. Perfect toasted and topped with butter or eaten as is and the recipe is also freezer friendly! The only banana bread recipe you will ever need!

prep time: 15 minscook time: 60 minstotal time: 75 mins

ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 tbsp (25g) butter
  • 1/4 cup (50g) honey
  • 2 eggs (~100g egg)
  • 1 1/2 cups (~340g or three large) mashed ripe banana
  • 1 cup (240g) unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 cup (120g) gluten free plain flour or regular plain flour
  • 1 cup (110g) gluten free oat flour (or made from ground gluten free rolled oats or gluten free quick oats)*
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • Pinch of salt
  • Optional: Nuts, cinnamon/spices, chocolate chips etc

instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 180C/355F.
  2. Grease and/or line a small/medium loaf tin.
  3. In a mixer, beat your butter and honey until smooth and creamy.
  4. Add in your eggs, banana** and applesauce.
  5. Add in your flours, salt and raising agents to your mixer and mix on low until just combined, scraping down the edges to ensure everything is incorporated.
  6. Pour your mixture into your prepared loaf tin and tap the bottom of your tin on the counter to even out the mixture.
  7. Bake for ~1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre of your loaf removes clean. If you're finding your top is cooking faster than the inside, cover your loaf with foil to stop the top from browning too much.
  8. Leave to cool before slicing.
  9. Store your banana bread in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge (the choice is yours!) for up to three days. This loaf also freezes really well - just slice, wrap and store in zip lock bags in the freezer.
  10. The banana bread is even better the next day as the flavour develops!

NOTES:

*Find out more about gluten free oats in our post, http://www.southerninlaw.com/2013/06/are-oats-gluten-free-where-to-buy-gluten-free-oats-in-australia.html If you cannot tolerate oats, you may replace the oat flour with 1 cup of gluten free plain flour or quinoa/buckwheat/sorghum flour.**Lazy Girl Tip: I usually just add the whole peeled bananas to the mixer and let it do the mashing ;P

http://www.southerninlaw.com/2014/09/the-best-healthy-banana-bread-recipe-gluten-free-sugar-free.html

Created using The Recipes Generator


Recipe: (The Best!) Healthy Banana Bread (8)

Now, do yourself a favour and make a loaf ASAP - and be sure to toast yourself a slice and top it with some butter (realbutter, people!)

But tell me, are you a banana bread fan?

Is there a certain food you're really fussy with?

And what's a treat you remember fondly from your childhood?

Yogurt frogs always remind me of being a kid as my Grandpa would always buy them for me from the health food shop as a treat.

Recipe: (The Best!) Healthy Banana Bread (9)

Recipe: (The Best!) Healthy Banana Bread (10)Recipe: (The Best!) Healthy Banana Bread (11)Recipe: (The Best!) Healthy Banana Bread (12)Recipe: (The Best!) Healthy Banana Bread (13)

Recipe: (The Best!) Healthy Banana Bread (14)Recipe: (The Best!) Healthy Banana Bread (15)Recipe: (The Best!) Healthy Banana Bread (16)Recipe: (The Best!) Healthy Banana Bread (17)

Recipe: (The Best!) Healthy Banana Bread (18)

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Recipe: (The Best!) Healthy Banana Bread (2024)

FAQs

Can I eat banana bread while losing weight? ›

You can certainly include banana bread in a healthy diet, but this dish should be considered a dessert. Keep in mind that not all foods are created to be healthy. For example, cakes, ice cream, and sweet breads aren't meant to be the most nutritious foods you can eat. Desserts may not be a part of your everyday diet.

Is it better to use bread flour or all purpose flour for banana bread? ›

Though it is called banana bread,it is not actually a bread . It is more of a cakey loaf made by the addition of soda bi carbonate as a leavening agent. The is no requirement of developing gluten in these kind of loaves and so even all purpose flour with a low content of gluten is good enough.

Is baking soda or powder better for banana bread? ›

Baking soda works best in conjunction with an acidic ingredient. In the case of banana bread, this may be buttermilk, brown sugar, molasses or the bananas themselves. Recipes generally include just enough baking soda to balance the acidity in the batter.

Is banana bread healthy or unhealthy? ›

"I would say banana bread is moderately healthy depending on what ingredients you use to make it," says nutritionist Maggie Michalczyk. For example, you might sub butter for coconut oil, use organic flour or almond or coconut flour, or change the type of sweetener you use.

Can I eat banana to lose belly fat? ›

No single food can help you lose weight, and bananas should definitely not be your go-to solution. It's important to eat a varied and balanced diet that contains all key nutrients for your health. Although bananas work well for some people's metabolism, this is not the case for most people.

What is the healthiest flour for homemade bread? ›

The healthiest bread flour is 100% whole grain flour. Whole grain flour could be rye, barley, spelt, oat, or wheat flour - the key is that the flour is made from 100% whole grains. Whole grain breads provide essential nutrients that are lacking in bread made from white flour.

Is baking powder important in banana bread? ›

As a general rule, you can use either baking soda OR baking powder in banana bread – both ingredients will make your banana bread rise. While baking soda will react with acidic ingredients in the batter to raise your bread, baking powder can leaven banana bread without the addition of acidic ingredients.

What does too much flour do to banana bread? ›

If you use too much flour, you'll end up with really dry banana bread, and If you don't use enough flour, your banana bread will be way too wet. The secret lies in how you measure the flour. The scoop out of the bag method could be packing way too much flour.

Can bananas be too bad for banana bread? ›

As with most produce, there comes a point of no return. If the bananas have any visible signs of mold, throw them out. If they smell off, that's another good indicator that they are no longer okay to use. Rotten bananas will often have a fermented or alcohol-like smell.

Can bananas be too over ripe for banana bread? ›

Indeed, there is such a thing as a banana that's too far gone even for baking. That's why you should know just which levels of banana ripeness are actually good to use for banana bread. Visual checks can be tricky. Bananas can go from yellow with brown spots to totally black and still be okay to eat and use for baking.

Can dogs eat bananas? ›

Yes, dogs can eat bananas. In moderation, bananas are a great low-calorie treat for dogs. They're high in potassium, vitamins, biotin, fiber, and copper. They are low in cholesterol and sodium, but because of their high sugar content, bananas should be given as a treat, not part of your dog's main diet.

Why did my banana bread turn green? ›

In much smaller quantities, the baking soda still has a chemical reaction with acid. Low and behold the acidic component is in bananas, so any excess baking soda that doesn't help the banana bread rise will react, hence green or blue banana bread slices the next day.

What happens if you put too much baking soda in banana bread? ›

Using too much baking soda or baking powder can really mess up a recipe, causing it to rise uncontrollably and taste terrible.

Why do I taste baking soda in my banana bread? ›

Bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) is the raising agent and this can sometimes taste bitter or soapy if the wrong quantity is used. Make sure that you measure the bicarbonate of soda with a proper 1 teaspoon/5ml measuring spoon and the spoon measurement should be level.

Is it OK to eat bread when losing weight? ›

Yes, you can eat bread while trying to lose weight.

There is no need to avoid it completely from your diet. Limit your intake of bread to 25 percent of your plate and enjoy it with vegetables to avoid overconsumption. The secret to losing weight is consuming fewer calories than you utilize during the day.

Can I eat bread and still lose weight? ›

Some popular trendy diets suggest avoiding all breads and carb-rich foods, but abstaining from all carbohydrates or breads is not necessarily a healthy way to lose weight. Really, all foods, including bread, can be a part of a weight loss diet, as long as they are eaten thoughtfully and in moderation.

Can I eat bread and still lose fat? ›

Including whole-grain bread in your diet can help support your weight-loss goals. But eating this carb won't guarantee that you will achieve your weight-loss goals in minutes. Whole-grain bread should be included as part of an overall balanced and healthy diet and lifestyle to support weight loss.

Can you eat bananas and still lose weight? ›

So, bananas can be incorporated into a healthy diet, even if the goal is to lose weight because they are easy to eat, affordable, highly nutritious, relatively filling and make a healthy snack or dessert.

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