Recipe: Whole Wheat Banana Nut Bread

Some time last year I posted a facebook status that said something to the extent of "For the love of pregnancy cravings, please send your best whole wheat, low sugar, banana bread recipe...stat!" I got two responses, neither of which were much better than the recipe I had that called for 2 cups of sugar--in one loaf! I had other recipes as well, but they were too dry, or not enough bananas, or heavy as lead, and all the revisions and combinations I came up with did little to help the situation.

I don't have pregnancy cravings any more, but I still love banana bread. Enter this whole wheat banana bread recipe from EricaLea at the Tasty Kitchen.  This recipe only calls for 3/4 cup of sugar. My blood sugar levels thank you, Erica. I made a few changes and will post my adaptation below.

Let me first say, I'm not a great recipe follower.  I inevitably add my own touch somewhere along the way, which adds to the fun for me.  I also bake with a pen in hand to record my modifications or suggestions.  However I think that this is a great way to cook as you can get lots of really good ideas from other people and then make them fit exactly what you need.

As far as recipes go, The Banana Bread Recipe was very easy to follow; I did not even have to get out my mixer!  Start with toasting your nuts and melting your butter, and you'll be good to go with the rest.  The bread made my entire house smell delicious (although my husband had a different word to describe the smell!)  The end product was wonderful: tasty, dense, moist, and low sugar.  It was so good that Brandon even liked it--and he is a tough banana bread critic!

This is a nice basic recipe that could easily have more items added.  Check out the original recipe here and my first adaption below.

Whole Wheat Banana Nut Bread
Makes one loaf

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup walnuts or pecans, toasted and chopped
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup organic cane sugar
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 whole bananas, mashed well (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1/4 cup vanilla yogurt
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Heat oven to 275F and toast your nuts 10-15 minutes
2. Melt buttern in a micro-wave safe bowl.  Set aside to cool while mixing other ingredients.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.  Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, combine mashed bananas, yogurt, butter, and vanilla.
5. Add the dry ingredients and the nuts to the wet mixture.  Mix until just combined; batter will be lumpy. (if you mix the flour too long it makes the bread kind of tough.)
6. Turn the oven to 350F and grease & flour a 9"x5" bread pan.
7. Pour the batter into the bread pan and bake 50-60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry.  
8. Let bread sit 5-10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Enjoy!

Here are some suggested modifications (I have not actually tried these but think they would be good.  Please feel free to add your own or let me know how these turn out!)

• Add 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/4 -- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• Add 1/2 cup dried banana chips
• Add 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• Substitute 1/2 cup wheat germ for 1/2 cup of the whole wheat flour
• Increase the yogurt to 1/3 or 1/2 cup if anyone tries this, please let us know whether it makes the bread too  moist.
• Add 1/3 cup honey again, I would love to know what the outcome of this is if you get to try it before I do!

Please feel free to distribute this recipe non-commercially and give credit to QuestForRealFood.com