It has been a hot minute since I’ve been able to whip up some delicious treats in our house. At first, I wasn’t cooking because I had morning sickness. Then, we moved and all of our dishes were packed for a solid five months. So, this week when I saw my bananas getting some dark spots I knew it was the perfect chance to make some tasty banana bread.
Healthy Benefits
I feel like bread gets a bad rap. But between you and me – I love bread. SHHHH! Well, let me clarify – I love healthy bread. To me that means whole ingredients that serve a purpose for your health. Take this banana bread for example. Each bite packs a good-for-you dose of deliciousness. Between the coconut oil (hello heart health) and the whole wheat flour, you’re getting plenty of extra vitamins and energy for the day.
Change It Up
I first stumbled upon this recipe on Cookie + Katie’s Pinterest page which lead me to her blog. I love that the recipe lends plenty of creativity to the baker so you can make it your own. For me, I wanted a bread that wasn’t super sweet so that I could have it at breakfast and for a snack. All I did was halve the suggested honey amount and swap in some applesauce. I also threw in some nuts and topped my bread with granola. It’s so crunchy and delicious – I’ll definitely be making this again. If you want to follow Katie’s recipe, I linked her blog above. Otherwise, I included my own twist below. I hope that you love it!
Ingredients
- 2.5 Medium Ripe Bananas
- 1/3 C Melted Coconut Oil
- 2 Large Eggs
- 1/4 C Honey
- 1/3 C Unsweetened Applesauce
- 1/4 C 2% Milk (you can use any milk of your choice)
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
- 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon (Optional - extra for the topping)
- 1 3/4 C Whole Wheat Flour
- 1-2 Handfuls of Chopped Walnuts
- 2 Pinches of Granola (I used Kind Snacks brand)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325 and lightly oil a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.
- Heat coconut oil in the microwave until it is melted.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine melted coconut oil and eggs. Whisk together.
- Add in bananas and mix well.
- Mix in honey, applesauce, vanilla extract, baking soda, and milk.
- Slowly pour in whole wheat flour, cinnamon, and sea salt, mixing as you go. It is okay if batter is slightly lumpy.
- Fold in walnuts and any extras that you would like.
- Pour mixture into loaf pan.
- Sprinkle a light coat of cinnamon on top and sprinkle with granola.
- Bake for 60 minutes. Check center of bread, if it is not done cooking, kick temperature up to 350 degrees F and cook for an additional 10 minutes.