Best Healthy Banana Bread Recipe

This banana bread it really is the best healthy banana bread recipe, period. And the secret to its great flavor? Greek Yogurt and Almond Butter.

The beauty of this banana bread recipe is that is simple: a mixing bowls, a fork and a spatula to mix the batter are all you need. The original recipe called for monk fruit, but you can replace it with coconut sugar.

You can toss in a cup of raisins instead of the chocolate chips if you want. Just need a bit of imagination to get creative.

INGREDIENTS:

Coconut oil for the pan

3 tablespoons plus 1/3 cup almond butter

1 tablespoon plus 2/3 cup monk fruit (or coconut sugar)

1 teaspoon plus 1/2 cup virgin coconut oil. Gently warmed to liquefy

1 cup gluten free oatmeal flour

1/3 cup coconut flour

1 teaspoon xanthan gum

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

2 large eggs (cold from the refrigerator)

1 cup mashed banana (277g)

1/3 cup Greek Yogurt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup unsalted almonds, coarsely chopped

1/2 chocolate chips ( I used my favorite brand: Hu Kitchen. Here is a 15% off discount code if you want to get them: EMILYB).

*1/2 cup coconut mil (if needed)*

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350F. Coat the bottom and sides of the loaf pan with coconut oil. Line the bottom and two longer sides with piece of parchment paper, leaving an overhang of an inch or two on each side, and set the pan aside.

In a small bowl, stir together 3 tablespoons of the almond butter, 1 tablespoon of monk fruit and 1 tablespoon of the coconut oil until smooth. Set the almond butter mixture aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, xathan gum, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs to break up the yolks and whites. Add the remaining 2/3 cup monk fruit and whisk vigorously until the mixture is smooth and slightly thickened, about 30 seconds. Add the mashed banana, greek yogurt, vanilla, remaining 1/3 cup almond butter and 1/2 coconut oil and whisk until the mixture is smooth (some banana lumps are okay).

Pour the banana mixture into the bowl with the flour mixture and whisk gently just until you have a batter with no dry spots. Add the almonds and chocolate chips and fold the batter with a flexible spatula, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl to make sure everything is well incorporated. *If the batter feels a bit dry you can add coconut milk, tablespoon by tablespoon until you get the consistency you want*.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Dollop teaspoons of the reserved almond butter mixture all across the top of the batter and then use a toothpick or the tip of a knife to drag figure eights across the surface, making a swirl pattern.

Bake until the top is risen and split and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 60 to 70 minutes. Remove the banana bread from the oven and set aside to cool in the pan for at least 20 minutes, then use the parchment paper to lift out the banana bread and let it cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.