Healthy Banana Bread Recipe – Super Healthy Kids

Bake banana bread that’s so sweet, light, cakey, and comforting, no one will know it’s a healthy take on this classic treat. Our healthy banana bread recipe uses 100% whole grains, whole milk yogurt, and honey or maple syrup as a natural sweetener (in reasonable amounts!).

Is Banana Bread Healthy?

Banana bread is delicious and easy to make. And while we might WANT to eat it for breakfast, most banana bread has the same nutrition as dessert.

Well, that was the old way. We’ve made classic, addictive banana bread healthier without compromising on flavor or texture! Rich in sweet banana flavor, our recipe uses just a quarter cup of honey or plain maple syrup to sweeten it just right.

We also fill this bread with other nutritious ingredients like 100% whole wheat flour, yogurt and crunchy walnuts. We don’t go crazy with added oils either. And it still tastes absolutely wonderful, with a texture that falls perfectly between moist and light.

Make this healthy banana bread recipe for yourself, for your kids, for your mom or for a friend. Nobody will taste this sweet fluffy bread and not think that you are the best person ever when you share it with them.

Ingredients for our healthy banana bread recipe:

• bananas– You should be careful to use very ripe bananas when making this banana bread. It increases sweetness, improves texture and gives better banana flavor.
• whole wheat flour– To improve the nutritional value of this bread, we replaced half of the flour in the original recipe with whole wheat flour.
• White Whole Wheat Flour– Substitute half the whole wheat flour for white whole wheat flour to make a lighter, fluffier banana bread.
• baking soda– Baking soda creates a softer, more tender crumb when used in banana bread.
• baking powder– Baking soda is used as a leavening agent to give your finished bread a nice rise.
• Salt– enhances the flavor of your banana bread. We used kosher salt.
• maple syrup– Maple syrup gives this banana bread the perfect sweetness. It doesn’t add any obvious maple flavor. Make sure you use plain maple syrup and not pancake syrup.
• butter– Butter gives the bread a rich, delicious flavor and helps the bread become more tender. You can substitute coconut oil or another neutral oil if you like.
• yogurt– we used pure 4% Greek yoghurt here.
• eggs– This recipe calls for large eggs which add structure to the bread.
• vanilla extract– optional but adds a delicious flavor!

How to Make Healthy Banana Bread:

Banana bread is pretty straightforward to start with, and our Healthy Banana Bread is no exception. Mix the dry and wet ingredients separately, then combine them into a loaf with a fluffy, tender crumb just before baking.

More tips for great banana bread:

• Be flexible about how many bananas you use. If your bananas are on the small side, four is fine. If you have three giant bananas, you don’t need a fourth.
• You don’t have to use two types of whole wheat flour. But we like the balance of hearty and delicate that comes from a mix of white whole grain and regular whole grain.
• To reduce the dishes, melt your butter in a large saucepan, then add the remaining wet ingredients directly to the saucepan. You can even mix your dry ingredients in the same pot!
• Don’t overmix your batter. A few lumps here and there are okay and make for a fluffy bread!
• Use a light-colored loaf tin or a glass loaf tin to avoid excessive browning. Be sure to grease it well too.
• If you prefer single serving banana breads, you can bake this healthy banana bread in a muffin pan. Divide batter into muffin pans (we actually have 15 muffins!) and bake at 350 degrees for 18-22 minutes.

How ripe should my bananas be?

The rule of thumb here is: the more mature, the better. Do you have dark streaky brown bananas falling off their stems? Mash them up. It’s banana bread time.

What can I add to banana bread?

Walnuts are the classic addition to healthy banana bread. You can also add dried coconut, dried cherries, other nuts (slivered almonds are good), or 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips for an extra treat.

How should I store my banana bread?

Store banana bread in the fridge for the best flavor. It tastes even better the second day!

You can also freeze extra slices of banana bread in a gallon-size zip-top bag. They make a great quick breakfast on the go or healthy lunch box treats.

More recipes for banana lovers:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a standard size loaf pan.

• Combine flour, salt, baking soda, and baking soda in a medium-sized bowl; put aside.

• melt butter. In a medium bowl, combine honey, yogurt, vanilla, mashed bananas, and egg. Whisk until well mixed.

• stir in flour mixture; just stir until everything is mixed.

• Pour into the prepared loaf pan. Bake 60-70 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Calories: 184kcal | Carbohydrates: 27G | Protein: 5G | Fat: 7G | Saturated Fatty Acids: 4G | Polyunsaturated fat: 0.4G | Monounsaturated fatty acids: 2G | Trans fats: 0.2G | Cholesterol: 46mg | Sodium: 236mg | Potassium: 168mg | Fiber: 2G | Sugar: 8thG | Vitamin A: 239ie | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 1mg