Healthy Banana Bread

I usually look for ways to make recipes healthier, and it is sometimes hard to get them to taste as delicious as the original. After trial and error, I tweaked a few banana bread recipes to come up with this one. It is a little healthier than standard banana bread recipes (less sugar and butter), but is just as moist and still tastes like true banana bread should! Serve with butter and a glass of cold milk. Warning: For those who like banana bread really sweet, add 1/2 cup granulated sugar to this recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup butter (1/2 of 1 stick)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce (can sub. sour cream)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp milk
• 2 over-ripened bananas
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• rolled oats to sprinkle on top if desired

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 °F. In a medium-sized bowl, mix flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon with a fork until well blended.

Step 2

Melt butter in microwave for 40 seconds. In a large bowl, mix butter, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, and applesauce. In a separate bowl or mixing cup, mash bananas one at a time, making sure there are still some chunks left.

Step 3

Add mashed bananas to large bowl by carefully stirring in. Add flour 1/4th at a time and slowly mix in. Do not overstir. Add 1 tbsp milk to help mixing flour in. The mixture should be wet, but not runny. When all the flour is mixed in, add walnuts. Scrape with a spatula into a greased 9X5 inch loaf pan.

Step 4

Spread mixture evenly so top is fairly flat, then sprinkle oats over the top if desired. Bake in the center of the oven for 1 hour. Check at 50 minutes by inserting a toothpick or butterknife to see if still comes out wet. If comes out dry, it is done! Do not over-bake or it will be dry. Take out of oven and let sit 10 minutes in loaf pan before taking out. After 10 minutes, use a butterknife to loosen banana bread from pan from each of the 4 sides. Turn over onto cooling rack, and let cool to room temperature. You can serve while still warm (I always do because I can’t wait to have some!), but it might fall apart if it is not cooled enough.

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