Recipe: everyday banana bread
Can you eat a piece of banana bread every day and feel good about it? YES, you can!
Here’s a recipe for no-regrets, no sugar-crash, no gut-bomb, delicious banana bread. By now, you know I’m only going to give you high-nutrient, mostly whole food, minimally-processed recipes.
I’ve tried a few plant-based banana bread recipes. This one by That Vegan Babe is my favorite. I’m a bit loose with the recipe, I’ve noted my edits below.
A quick story
My maternal grandmother was known for a few recipes we all loved. One was banana bread. Her banana bread and her apple pie were my favorites. So good, especially when they’re made by Grammie. I was the only person in the family who was not into her cinnamon rolls (too sweet).
The simple acts of time and intention can make any dish prepared for others special. The greater the fat and sugar, the greater the love? No, that’s not a thing.
What do my grandmother’s banana bread recipe and the recipe I’m about to share have in common?
Just one ingredient: bananas.
This is a recipe you can eat as much of as you want. My grandmother’s recipe? Not so much.
Step 1 - buy the bananas
You’ll need 5 bananas for this recipe.
As with any banana bread recipe, the bananas must be overripe before you use them. Overripe is completely brown skin. Your instinct will tell you you’ve waited too long. You haven’t.
This can take 2-4 weeks of ripening on your counter. Somewhere between 2 and 3 weeks is typical.
If it smells rotten, then it’s past overripe and ready to compost. It’s unlikely you’ll reach that stage.
Waiting for the bananas to reach this stage is the KEY to making no added sugar banana bread. The bananas have all of the natural sweetness you need, as long as you wait till they’re brown.
Use your best judgment. Don’t over think it.
These bananas aren’t completely brown, but they felt ‘ready’
Step 2 - gather the remaining ingredients
Ingredients
3-5 overripe bananas —> 3-4 for the batter + 1 for the topping (optional)
2 tbsp ground flax seeds
1/3 cup applesauce, no added sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/3 cups oat or buckwheat flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
3/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
Optional
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup vegan chocolate chips
Step 3 - let’s bake!
Go to That Vegan Babe’s website for the instructions.
Download the recipe in your favorite recipe app. I use Paprika.
Banana bread made with buckwheat flour
Tips
I’ve made this 3 times in about the same number of months.
I’ve used only buckwheat flour, only oat flour and half buckwheat half oat. I liked the half-and-half combo the best.
I like adding ~1/4 cup frozen blueberries. Wild blueberries are smaller, which I prefer in recipes.
Sometimes I add 1 tablespoon of maple syrup. It doesn’t need it, but you can try this recipe with and without the added sweetener.
Check the ingredients on your maple syrup. The single ingredient should be pure maple syrup. I like organic, Grade A, very dark. I pick mine up at the farmer’s market.
I don’t measure the banana. Instead, I go for 4 bananas and I add a bit more flour to the batter if it seems like it may turn out ‘gummy.’ If you’re a proper baker, you probably want to measure.
I buy whole flax seeds and grind them in a coffee grinder.
Vegan banana bread, ½ buckwheat flour ½ oat flour
Enjoy! 🌱
Did you try this recipe? Let me know!
Thanks for reading!
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