Better For You Banana Bread Recipe uses smarter ingredients so you can still have a slice with breakfast or a snack without all of the guilt.
In my quest to eat better, I’ve learned that there are simple hacks that you can use to take an existing recipe and make it a little better for you. This Better For You Banana Bread recipe is one of those recipes.
I originally created this recipe when I was in my quest to lose 45 pounds. What I did was to count calories and to write everything down before I ate it. I used a calorie calculator to make a lot of these recipes. In addition to calories, I’m a nutritional label reader. Buying a product that looks good for you can really be deceiving when you think the product is one serving only to find out it’s for 2 or 3. I created this recipe using a recipe calculator quite some time ago.
My previous recipe used a sugar substitute. While there isn’t any proof that it’s harmful and heck, the package says it’s actually natural sugar, I still have my doubts. Enough doubts that I didn’t want it here on Hostess At Heart or on my table. This recipe is a remake. It doesn’t contain oil, uses some whole grain wheat flour, a minimal amount of raw sugar, and only egg whites. While not perfect, it’s a delicious recipe that I don’t feel guilty putting on my table.
This recipe can be made into one large loaf. However, we like the mini loaves. I can freeze what I’m not going to use right away. Not only that, I can cut a mini loaf into 6 nice pieces. I wouldn’t cut a large loaf into 18 slices so this is a portion control for me too. The recipe that follows is for 18 servings which are how many we get out of 3 mini loaves.
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Better For You Banana Bread isn't a diet food, but has better ingredients while still tasting as decadent as the bread that's full of fats and sugar.
- 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour I used unbleached
- 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt I used kosher
- 1 cup bananas mashed
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 egg whites
- 1/2 cup raw sugar (turbinado)
- 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
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Preheat oven to 350°F. And spray either 1 loaf pan or 3 mini loaf pans with the non-stick method of your choice.
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In a large bowl, combine mashed bananas, applesauce, sugar, vanilla, egg whites, and cinnamon.
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In a medium bowl, combine flours, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Whisk together.
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Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined.
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Pour into a bread pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake mini loaves 27 to 30 minutes or one large loaf 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
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Remove from pan and allow to cool on a cooling rack.
This banana bread is so quick and easy to make. Once cooled I put it in a resealable bag or airtight container and think it’s even better the next day. It is moist, not too dense, and delicious. I hope you will give it a try and let me know what you think.
Tip: I always have frozen bananas in my freezer. I just throw them in peel and all. When I need them I let them sit a bit to thaw and then peel them. The peel isn’t beautiful but the banana is perfect for bread or smoothies. There is never a reason for letting bananas go bad.
If you like baking bread as much as I do, here are a couple more of my favorites!
Grandpa George’s Zbread (Zucchini Bread) Recipe
Strawberry Rhubarb Bread with Streusel Topping
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