Protein Banana Bread

Bananas don't usually hang around for long in my house. Between the three of us, we go through two big bunches a week. There is a rare case where a few bananas are left behind, turning brown, and I always take full advantage of claiming them for bread before someone else does. 

There is a certain nostalgia about banana bread for me. My Mom constantly kept a loaf in the kitchen to snack on. I remember my Dad coming home from a long morning on his feet at the hospital, my mom made a pot of coffee for them to share, and they sat and rested. This time is still a ritual for them and I love when I'm there to join in. 

^^ I let my "banana bread bananas" brown a few days after the first brown spots appear. This ensures the perfect mashing consistency so there are no random chunks of banana in the bread. For this recipe I used a combination of whole wheat flour and almond flour. Almond flour is literally blanched and skinless almonds that have been finely ground into a powder. I LOVE this almond meal because it allows me to make bread with out it being so dense and flour-filled. You can usually find it in the baking section or gluten-free section of the grocery store. 

I really love homemade bread. You just can't beat a slice of banana, pumpkin, or plain cinnamon bread paired with a cup of coffee in the afternoon. It's the perfect pick-me-up during nap time or work/school breaks. However, most bread recipes are full of butter, flour, and sugar. I've replace refined/processed sugars with maple syrup and honey. I've also replace butter and oil with apple sauce and yogurt. Lastly, the whole wheat gives this bread a great dose of whole grains, while the chia seeds and almond meal boost this bread full of protein. My banana obsessed baby & hubby can't eat this bread fast enough.

^^ Mash the bananas with a fork. 

^^ Add all wet ingredients to the bananas: yogurt, maple syrup, honey, eggs, vanilla, applesauce. 

^^ Combine all dry ingredients: almond flour, whole wheat flour, cinnamon, chia seeds, salt, baking soda. 

^^ Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet, and mix until combined.

** I didn't add nuts to this recipe because of the almond meal. If you like that extra crunch, roast 1/4 cup of sliced almonds or chopped walnuts and fold them into the mixture. 

^^ Spray loaf pan with a non-stick spray or melted coconut oil. I love this spray because it is versatile between grilling, baking, and cooking!

^^ Pour the batter into the loaf pan and sprinkle the top with raw oats. 

^^ Walaaa! Perfectly golden Banana Bread and it smells sooo good! For breakfast, I love topping a slice of this Protein Banana bread with crunchy peanut-butter! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup almond flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons chia seeds
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/3 cup honey
• 3 ripe bananas
• 1/4 cup apple sauce
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 plain whole-milk yogurt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• oats for topping

Instruction: 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray the loaf pan and set it aside.
• Whisk together the dry ingredients: flours, salt, baking soda, chia seeds, and cinnamon. Set aside.
• In a separate bowl, mash the bananas. Add in the honey, apple sauce, yogurt, maple syrup, eggs, and vanilla. Stir until combined.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until just combined. 
• Pour batter into the loaf pan and top with oats. 
• Bake for 40-50 minutes or until done- a tester inserted comes out clean. 
• Let cool completely in the loaf pan, then turn out to a cooling rack. Store in foil or in an airtight container for the week! 

Happy baking!
xo- Monica