The World’s Healthiest Banana Bread

My dad is a master at making moist banana bread — so growing up this was one of my favorite foods. When I was in college he would send me loaves carefully double wrapped in plastic and foil. Each loaf was so dense it felt like a brick! This recipe is unique in that not only does it not contain dairy, eggs or refined sugar/four, it also doesn’t have any added fat. We like to spread some earthbalance on each slice, so it’s great that the bread itself isn’t filled with fat

Here’s what you need:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup oats, coarsely ground
• 1/4 cup wheat bran
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 3 large bananas
• 1/2 cup apple butter
• 1/3 cup Sucanat
• 1 flax egg
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3/4 cup rice milk
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind

For the crumb topping

• 1/2 cup oats
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup Sucanat
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup apple butter
• 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×5 loaf pan.
2. In a large bowl mix together the flour, oats, wheat bran, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg.
3. In another bowl mash the banana and add the apple butter, sucanat, flax egg, walnuts, vanilla, rice milk, lemon juice and lemon rind. Mix until fully combined. Add the dry ingredients and mix well. Pour into prepared pan.
4. In a small bowl combine the topping ingredients. Mix until large crumbles form.  Sprinkle on top of the banana bread batter.
5. Bake for about 70 minutes. If the topping begins to brown before the bread is done then cover with a piece of foil.

*Tip: Save yourself time and effort by doubling the recipe and then store one loaf in the freezer.

Did you try this recipe? Share how you liked it below…