This Better For You Banana Bread recipe is high in protein, low in fat and free from refined sugars. It’s a delicious lighter alternative to this classic bake!
What makes this Banana Bread recipe better for you?
- High in protein. This recipe uses wholegrain spelt flour (I used Craggs & Co) , which is naturally high in protein. Each thick slice has nearly 6g of protein. Feel free to substitute this for wholewheat flour or plain flour, depending on what you have.
- Refined sugar free. Mashed bananas and a little maple syrup make this banana bread naturally sweet. I have also added 70% dark chocolate chunks, because you know who doesn’t love chocolate and in my view chocolate is health food for the soul 😉 To make this recipe even healthier, you can leave out the chocolate chunks or swap them for chopped nuts.
- Low in fat. Swapping butter for greek yoghurt (I used FAGE Total 5% Greek Yoghurt) adds moisture and softness to the banana bread but also reduces fats. Each slice has less than 3g saturated fat.
How to make this Banana Bread
- Stir together the dry ingredients. Combine the flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt.
- Mash the bananas. Use really ripe blackened bananas, and mash them up with a fork or electric whisk.
- Add the wet ingredients to the bananas. Mix in the greek yoghurt, vanilla extract, eggs and maple syrup.
- Fold in the dry ingredients and dark chocolate chunks.
- Transfer to a loaf tin and decorate with a sliced banana.
- Bake for 40-50 minutes. The banana bread will rise and be a lovely golden brown colour.
What size loaf tin should I use?
For this recipe, you will need a 2lb loaf tin. The dimensions of the tin I used are 15.5cm width x 29cm length x 7.5cm depth.
How to line your loaf tin?
Unlike square baking tins, loaf tins can be a little tricky to prep.
I’ve found that the best way is to first lightly grease the tin all over with a little butter. Then cut a piece of greaseproof paper that is long enough to line the base and long sides of the tin, with enough paper hanging over the edges to help lift the cake out. This way the loaf cake will have straight, neat edges and bake more evenly.
Better For You Banana Bread
This Better For You Banana Bread recipe is high in protein, low in fat and free from refined sugars.It's a delicious lighter alternative to this classic bake!
Ingredients
- 200 g Wholegrain spelt flour you could instead use either wholegrain or plain white flour
- 1.5 teaspoons Baking powder
- Pinch of Salt
- 2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 2 Medium very ripe bananas
- 100 g Greek yoghurt I used Fage Total 5% Greek Yoghurt
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp Good quality maple syrup
- 2 Large eggs at room temperature
- 100 g Good quality dark chocolate chopped into chunks
- (Optional) 1 Medium banana used to decorate the top
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan oven).
- Line a 2lb loaf tin with greaseproof paper (see notes above).
- In a large bowl stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl mash the bananas until smooth.
- Add the yoghurt, vanilla extract, eggs and maple syrup to the mashed banana and mix through until combined.
- Now add the dry ingredients and chocolate chunks, and fold together until combined.Â
- Spoon the mixture into the loaf tin and spread it out evenly.
- (Optional) Slice a banana in half lengthways and arrange on top.Â
- Bake in the centre of the oven for 45-50 minutes. The banana bread should have risen, be golden brown in colour and a toothpick inserted into the middle should come out clean.
- Leave to cool for 20 minutes in the baking tin, then turn the banana bread out onto a cooling rack and leave to cool for 20-30 minutes.
- Cut into 10 thick slices and enjoy!
Notes
Store your banana bread in an airtight container, at room temperature, for up to 3 days.
Nutritional Information (per serving)
- Calories: 187
- Carbs: 28.9g
- Of which sugar: 11.8g
- Fat: 5.1g
- Sat fat: 2.6g
- Protein: 5.7g