I’ve heard from a number of you lately that you are taking to “baking therapy” during our Shelter at Home - Safer at Home - Quarantine - Isolation - Hunkering In Time. I recently made my all time favorite banana bread recipe and thought it would be fun to share it with you.
The recipe comes courtesy of Elana’s Pantry, a “go to” resource for me for many years when I want to check out various recipes that have accommodations for special diets such as egg-free, dairy-free, low carb, or gluten-free. Plus, Elana is one neat lady (I’ve never met her and I would be embarrassed if she knew I summarized her as “neat”).
Seriously though, Elana was doing alternative food prep way before it was trendy or a thing. Hers was born out of being an advocate for herself with a diagnosis of Celiac Disease and Multiple Sclerosis, for which she has used various food and lifestyle therapies for her own healing and well-being. And hey, she lives in my home area of Boulder, Colorado, so that’s pretty groovy to know she’s “down the road from me.” (Cue the vision of me hiking in the foothills and encountering her on the trail, we chat and then go enjoy tea and a famous Elana baked good together, talk nutrition, and giggle as new Besties.)
I can’t remember how long ago I first made this banana bread, but I knew immediately it would become a staple for an “upgraded” version. Most of the traditional box mixes contain artificial ingredients, highly processed oils and flours, or added sugars. Or, they just cost too much for what you get out of it… and don’t taste all that great either.
Elana’s Pantry Banana Bread (with Nutrition Mechanic Notes):
The original recipe is here.
Ingredients:
3 ripe bananas, mashed (1.5 c or ~360 gm)
3 large eggs
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
1 Tbsp honey
1/4 c palm shortening (54 gm; I use Nutiva Organic Shortening; I’ve also swapped this for melted coconut oil but note that it can make the bread quite moist and a touch more of an oily feel)
2 c blanched almond flour (225 gm; I often use Bob’s Red Mill Super Fine Almond Flour)
1/2 tsp celtic sea salt (I’ve used a full teaspoon before, because this salt is so delish)
1 tsp baking soda
The above is the original recipe, but I often add 1/4 to 1/3 cup chopped raw walnuts or pecans
Preparation steps:
Pulse together bananas, eggs, vanilla, honey, and shortening in a food processor (I use a KitchenAid mixer).
Pulse in almond flour, salt, and baking soda. If adding nuts, fold them in as the last step.
Scoop batter into a greased 7.5” x 3.5” loaf pan (mine is a 8.5 x 4.5” pan and works fine).
Bake at 350F for 50-65 minutes. You’ll need to check the bread for doneness with a toothpick after about 50 minutes and go from there, using your most excellent judgment. Because I live at higher elevation (8600 feet), my bread takes about an hour.
Let cool for an hour while trying not to salivate in anticipation of delving in to this delight.
Hellooooo, Gorgeous.
This recipe is super easy and quick to put together. And Tastes. So. Goooood. Of course, there are modifications and additions you can make if you don’t have the exact ingredients or you want to jazz it up more. In fact, Elana’s recipe page has several comments from other bakers who have done lots of cool substitutions and additions, so you can check that out if so inclined.
Basic nutrition info (without nuts):
Yield: 12 servings
200 calories
14 grams carbohydrate (~3 gm fiber)
6.5 grams protein
13 grams fat
Did you notice there is only 1 tablespoon of added sugar to this recipe? That’s unusual for most DIY banana breads - many have 1/2 to 1 cup of sugar added (!).
But here’s something else to note. This bread can be called a “healthier version” compared to the myriad of boxed bread mixes or other DIY recipes. However, this bread is fairly calorically dense due to the almond flour and shortening. It’s something that Gluten-Free Followers or Keto Heads neglect when boasting about certain recipes… sure, it is gluten-free and lower carb than the traditional bread, BUT it’s not a low calorie option. The debate can get heated and into the weeds: “But it’s lower sugar so it doesn’t spike insulin as much!” vs. “But it’s energy-dense and it is overall calorie intake that matters most!” and on and on. We’ll save that for another time.
Alright, Nutrition Mechanic’ers, if you make this recipe, be sure to post a picture and tag me on FB (@mechanicdina) or IG (@nutritionmechanic) and hey, I’d love a follow over there too!
Enjoy,
Dina