Lite Banana Bread

fresh banana nut bread with walnuts and butter

Healthy Banana Bread

One might think that banana bread sounds like a healthy dish. After all, bananas are healthy, and it’s called bread, not cake. But once you add all the oil, sugar, and refined carbs into the mix, you would be better off eating a banana sandwich. That is, until now. We have revamped this naughty recipe and turned it into a clean, low fat high protein delight. And the best part? It doesn’t taste like it’s healthy.

Protein Banana Bread

We use Kodiak Cake pancake mix in many of our cooking adventures. It is made with whole oat and wheat flours, with added protein, and is the perfect base for many of our recipes. It saves time in having to measure out dry ingredients. If you don’t have Kodiak Cake mix, that’s ok, we have a substitute recipe below.

Why You’ll Love Lite Banana Bread

This recipe is chocked full of protein and whole grains to keep your energy levels sustained and your belly satisfied. It’s like getting a treat without the guilt. Using Swerve instead of sugar and the blend of whole oat and whole wheat flour will keep your blood sugar steady. The bananas lend potassium as well as natural sweetness to the recipe, and the OIKOS Triple Zero yogurt gives a nice balanced tang, while keeping the recipe moist without added fats. If you don’t have OIKOS Triple Zero yogurt you can use any lite vanilla Greek yogurt, just make sure to find one without the added sugars.

How to Make Low Fat Banana Bread

The Ingredients

Kodiak Cakes (or substitute) – This combo of whole oat and whole wheat flours with protein powder keeps the recipe ultra healthy.
Bananas – Try to let your bananas get as brown as possible for this recipe. The browner they are, the more flavorful. You can throw yellow bananas in the freezer for a couple hours to help this process along, if needed.
Unsweetened almond milk – this can be substituted for any unsweetened, low fat milk such as cashew, soy or skim milk.
OIKOS Triple Zero yogurt lends moisture into the bread without the added fat. Banana flavor is best, but if you can’t find it, feel free to use vanilla, or another brand, just watch for added sugar.

The Directions

Mix together wet ingredients, then mix in dry ingredients. This recipe comes together easily and takes only a few minutes.
Pour batter into a loaf pan that has been greased with cooking spray. We use a clear Pyrex pan, but any loaf pan will work.
Bake. If the top of the bread seems to be getting too brown before the time is up, cover with tin foil for the remaining time. Trust us, you’ll want to go the full half hour or your center will be uncooked.
Let cool in baking pan. Don’t skip this step, it’s important to helping your loaf set.

Variations

This can be made gluten free by using gluten free Kodiak Cakes protein mix. If you’re making your own dry mix you can either use all Oat flour, or substitute the wheat flour for brown rice flour or King Arthurs gluten free pancake mix.
Make a spice bread by substituting the bananas for 1/2 cup applesauce
Make zucchini bread by substituting the bananas for 1/2 cup shredded and squeezed zucchini.
Make pumpkin bread by substituting the bananas for 1/2 cup pureed pumpkin.
Make it Keto by substituting the bananas for 1/2 cup pureed pumpkin and substituting the Kodiak Cakes for King Arthurs Keto Flour

Storing, Freezing and Reheating

Left over bread can be stored in the fridge for 1 week.
Store in the freezer in a zippered freezer bag, pressing out as much air as possible.
Reheat in microwave one slice at a time for 15 second increments.