A Healthier Banana Bread

I’ve been baking banana bread like it’s my job for the past few weeks. The reason? My daughter has recently learned how to peel a banana, and she is very excited about this new skill. I’m less excited.

Like all toddlers she is eager to practice, and I would love for her to eat more bananas. Unfortunately the first bite of the banana is often the last bite of the banana, and unpeeled bananas don’t keep well. I’ve been popping these bananas in the freezer, and then turning them into chocolate banana bread, which E will take more than one bite of!

Because we’re eating so much of it, I’ve been making a healthier banana bread by reducing the sugar and adding ground flax seed. Ground flax seed contains omega 3 and 6 fatty acids and fibre, both great for growing bodies.

I’ve also been topping the banana bread with dark chocolate and pecans because it’s delicious.

Banana bread is one of those baking staples that I think every baker should never stop tweaking and changing. It’s difficult to get wrong, and lends itself well to experimentation. Every baker I know has their own banana bread recipe, unique to their kitchen. This one is mine…for now!

Chocolate Banana Bread

Ingredients:

3-4 ripe bananas (3 large or 4 small)
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup greek yogurt or sour cream
1 egg
1/4 brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup ground flax seed
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Optional:
1/3 cup chocolate chips
1/3 cup pecans

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350F and butter a 9×5 loaf pan
2. Mash bananas and melted butter until no lumps remain. I sometimes use an immersion blender to get the mixture completely smooth, but a fork and a strong arm will get the job done
3. Stir in greek yogurt, sugar, vanilla, and egg and mix until well combined
4. Stir in dry ingredients and mix until just combined
5. Pour batter into buttered pan (optional: top with chocolate chips and pecans)
6. Bake for 60 minutes, cool in pan