Recipe: Protein Banana Bread
When it comes to baked goods and sweet treats, they often get a bad rep in the nutrition department. Despite being delicious and satisfying our desire for what sounded good at that time, typical baked goods don’t always satiate our hunger for as long as may be beneficial. That’s because sweet treats are typically low in protein and fiber, two nutrients that stabilize blood sugar levels and enhance satiety at meals and snacks. Enter, our protein banana bread!
At Summerfield, we believe most foods can fit into a balanced way of eating. And while you don’t need to adapt your treats to include protein and fiber if you don’t want to, these adjustments can provide an added benefit depending on your individual nutrition goals. Since banana bread is often a treat enjoyed in the morning, adding protein from protein powder and yogurt supports a more stable blood sugar after eating.
We used oat flour in place of half the all-purpose flour to boost fiber content. You could also add nuts and seeds for a bit more fiber and healthy fats. To keep this bread moist and much like a bakery-style treat, we used regular sugar and a few tablespoons of oil and butter. Feel free to reduce or make substitutions to either of these, but it will impact the end result.
Protein Banana Bread
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 1/2 C all-purpose flour (regular or gluten-free)
- 1/2 C oat flour*
- 1/3 C unflavored protein powder
- 1/3 C brown sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt*
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 2 ripe, spotty bananas (3/4 C mashed)
- 2 Tbsp melted coconut oil/butter/vegan butter
- 1/3 C yogurt of choice
- 2 Tbsp water (1-2 additional Tbsp may be needed if yogurt has a thick consistency)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Optional add-ins: 1/2 C: chopped nuts, chopped chocolate, or baking chips
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line an 8×4″ loaf pan or 4 mini loaf pans.
- Whisk together dry ingredients (flour through cinnamon) in a medium bowl until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, mash the bananas with a fork until mostly smooth (small chunks are fine). Add oil/butter, yogurt, water, and vanilla. Stir to combine.
- Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to incorporate. Don’t over mix (stir just until combined).
- If using any add-ins, stir these into the batter now.
- Transfer batter to a prepared baking pan and smooth over the top of the batter.
- Bake 23-25 minutes for mini loaves and 38-42 minutes for full-size loaf pan – or until risen, golden brown, and set. The protein powder used can impact how much the bread rises and how quickly it cooks. In our experience, plant proteins are more absorbent and may lead to quicker cooking/shorter bake time required. If you use a whey protein or something that leads to a thinner batter, the cook time may be a few additional minutes.
- Store banana bread for up to 3 days at room temperature in a sealed container, or the fridge for up to 7 days (if it lasts that long!).
Tips:
- To make homemade oat flour, place rolled or quick-cooking oats in a small food processor or blender cup. Blend until they form a fine powder, pausing to stir/shake to incorporate thoroughly.
- Some protein powders have a good amount of salt already present. Omit additional salt if yours has more than 150 mg/serving.
- To make as muffins, fill each muffin liner/pan cavity to 3/4 with batter and bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden.
Swaps:
Any of the below alternatives may impact bread texture and cook time:
- For either type of flour: 1/2 C almond flour
- For the plant protein powder: collagen or whey protein
- We used an unflavored protein powder to ensure a balance between sweetness and banana flavor. Feel free to use a flavored/sweetened protein, if desired.
Recipe modified from: Full of Plants