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Banana Bread Competition – The Winning Recipe

by | Apr 29, 2021 | Taste and Savor, uncategorized

The Winning Banana Bread? Hands down it was the one on the LEFT in the photo – using cannellini beans as half the fat in the recipe. Hey! There’s nothing wrong with butter, but if you can amp up the veggies and protein in a sweet treat why wouldn’t you? (The right loaf was sweeter and had a denser texture.)

Five Reasons this Banana Bread is Better-For-You:

  1. It has a combo of all purpose and whole wheat flour – more fiber
  2. It subs out half the butter in the recipe for white beans, giving you more fiber and protein
  3. Nonfat Greek Yogurt brings moisture and more protein
  4. It uses just a little less sugar than many Banana Bread recipes – the brown sugars bring more flavor and color to the loaf
  5. We add walnuts to the bread – a good source of Omega 3s, more fiber, protein, flavor and texture!

Better-For-You Banana Bread

  • 4 Large Ripe Bananas, chopped
  • 1 ½ Cups All Purpose Flour
  • ½ Cup Whole Wheat Flour
  • 1 Tsp Baking Soda
  • ¼ Tsp Fine Sea Salt
  • 1 Tsp Cinnamon
  • ¼ Cup Unsalted Butter, (½ Stick softened)
  • ½ Cup Rinsed and Drained Cannellini Beans
  • ¾ Cup Brown Sugar
  • 2 Large Eggs
  • 1/3 Cup Nonfat Greek Yogurt
  • 2 Tsp Vanilla
  • 1 Cup Chopped Toasted Walnuts

Step One  

Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray a 9 x 5 Loaf Pan with avocado or olive oil spray and line the bottom with parchment paper.

Step Two

Add the bananas to the bowl of a stand mixer* to make a “cream” of the bananas. Beat for about 2 minutes until the mixture has few lumps in it. Scrape out of the mixer into a small bowl and set aside – no need to clean the mixer.

Step Three

In another bowl, whisk the flours, soda, salt and cinnamon together. Set aside.

Step Four

Add the butter, beans and sugar to the mixer bowl and cream together on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Beat in the yogurt, “creamed” bananas and vanilla until well combined.

Step Five

With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients, mixing just until combined – don’t overmix. Fold in the nuts. Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake in for 60 – 70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with just a few crumbs. Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing.

*You can make this bread with a hand mixer – just add banana and later ingredients to a large bowl that you are using the hand mixer in.

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