Healthy Banana Bread

Warm and moist, this healthy banana bread is made with whole wheat flour, soft ripe bananas and the sinfully delicate sweetness of maple syrup.

A good healthy banana bread recipe should be a staple in every household. At some point in our life, we’ve all looked over at the fruit bowl in dismay to find browning and too-soft bananas. Let’s craft them into a soft and moist banana bread that the whole family can enjoy!

The Ingredients

Flour. This banana bread is made with whole wheat flour instead of white flour. Generally speaking, whole wheat flour has more of the grain in tact which means that the nutrient density of the flour is better. More protein, more fiber, more vitamins and minerals.

Sugar. You’ve probably heard before the phrase “sugar is sugar.” Yes, you’re right. However, maple syrup is generally less processed than refined cane sugar and almost always vegan. Refined cane sugar is usually processed through bone char so there’s a good chance it isn’t plant-based.

Also, maple syrup just has a better, earthier, more luxurious taste than plain ole cane sugar. Furthermore, the liquid form also helps to keep this bread more moist!

Eggs. In my recipes here at the Whole Scoop, we’re using flax eggs as binders. Binders simply hold the flour and other ingredients together so that the texture doesn’t crumble and fall apart. One flax egg is a mixture of 1 tablespoon of ground flax meal stirred with 2.5 tablespoons of water. Then it thickens into a gluey-like substance – thus, we have a binder!

Additions. This banana bread recipe calls for chopped pecans for a little added crunch. However, the pecans can be easily omitted for a nut-allergy. Feel free to add blueberries, chocolate chips, or raisins, etc.

Eat the banana bread plain, or you can slather it with warm butter, jelly, or a nut butter. All three taste great – tried and tested! 😉 For the jelly, we use a homemade berry chia jam that you can find here.

Healthy Banana Bread

Warm and moist, this healthy banana bread is made with whole wheat flour, soft ripe bananas and the sinfully delicate sweetness of maple syrup.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Servings 8

Ingredients

  

• 1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 3 overripe bananas
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 6 tbsp melted butter
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 flax eggs
• 2 tbsp plant milk

Instructions

 

• Prepare the flax eggs by mixing 2 tablespoons of ground flax meal with 5 tablespoons water. Set aside for 10 minutes to thicken.
• Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 9×5 bread loaf pan or line with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients and mix.
• In a large bowl, mash the bananas with a fork or potato masher. Then add the maple syrup, butter, vinegar, vanilla, milk and flax eggs. Mix until combined.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until just incorporated. Don't overmix.
• Pour the batter into the bread pan and bake for 45 – 55 minutes.

Notes

For a gluten-free version, a 1:1 ratio of gluten-free flour should work although I have not tested it out yet. You may require less flour or more liquid depending on the consistency of the batter.

The batter should be thick, not runny but not dry. If you have a runny batter, add 1/4 cup of flour at a time. For a too thick/dry batter, add 1 tbsp of plant milk at a time.

If the bread is getting too brown at the halfway point of the cooking time, you can cover with aluminum foil and then let it finish baking.

To add chocolate chips, blueberries or nuts, start with 1/2 – 3/4 a cup and fold in at the end with a spatula, before pouring batter into the pan.

In place of vegan butter, you can use a 1:1 ratio of coconut or vegetable oil. 

 

 

 

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