healthier banana bread recipe

A (Slightly) Healthier Banana Bread Recipe

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We’re using air quotes here, because this healthier banana bread recipe is only slightly less indulgent than your average banana bread (but just as delicious).

About this Recipe

When baking, there is always a devil on one shoulder, telling us to just tip in a bit more of that melted butter, and an angel on the other, reminding us that our families will be eating this, so maybe we should lighten things up. This healthier banana bread recipe feels as if the devil and angel have reached a happy point of stasis on the see saw of baking life, with a nice balance between healthy (Greek yogurt, whole wheat flour) and naughty (olive oil, copious amounts of brown sugar and chocolate chips). The bread is rich and dense and you can just barely taste the flavor of the floral flavor of the olive oil, which gives it a slightly mysterious allure. It’s a nice alternative, if you want to jazz up our favorite Aussie-style version of banana bread.

Ingredients for the Healthier Banana Bread

3/4 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 cup Greek yogurt

1/2 cup olive oil

1 tbsp vanilla

2 eggs

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 pinch salt

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup mashed overripe bananas

1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional, depending on how loudly the devil is whispering in your ear)

1/4 cup demerara or sanding sugar

Directions for the Healthier Banana Bread

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together dark brown sugar, Greek yogurt, olive oil, vanilla and eggs until combined.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
  4. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
  5. Stir in the bananas and the chocolate chips.
  6. Pour into the prepared pan, and sprinkle the demerara or sanding sugar over the top to form a crunch crust.
  7. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour until a toothpick comes out clean but still wet. If the bread is not done after an hour, lower the heat to 325 and keep checking on it. If necessary, tent the top with foil to prevent excessive browning.
  8. Cool 10-15 minutes in the pan, then cool on wire rack.