No adding protein powder! Nope, just whole food! The main ingredient in this protein banana bread is almond flour which is filled with protein. As we know, nuts are filled with protein. This protein banana bread is a great breakfast, snack, or anytime of day pick-me-up that is packed with nutrients and great for blood sugar balance.
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You know that taste you get that fills your body with unbelievable comfort, makes you want to curl up under a blanket, and soak up the season of Fall — even when it’s not Fall? This protein banana bread fills the air with that ambiance.
With some alterations (coconut oil & maple syrup), I made this recipe from iFoodReal for the first time in our sweet little Wyoming cottage. After the first year of marriage, my husband and I wanted to venture out west where we could get away, just us, and make a life of our own. We lived in a small 900 square foot home in Jackson Hole, Wyoming that overlooked a horse pasture. My spunky little cattle dog wanted nothing more than to wrangle the horses in his “backyard” and he did try a couple of times!
Well anyway, the first fall that we lived in Wyoming I made this protein banana bread and it gave me such a feeling of home. Although Wyoming did feel very close to our hearts-much like home, it obviously wasn’t Georgia. I’m sure my subconscious was fighting for that home feeling and found a piece of it in this bread!
Protein Banana Bread Assists in Blood Sugar Balance
As you may have already read in some of my posts, my husband is a type 1 diabetic (auto-immune disease) and I am used to cooking for his needs. I actually find it a challenge and delight to find recipes that help keep his blood sugar balanced. This protein banana bread is one of those recipes. Because of the combination of higher amounts of protein (than found in conventional flours), healthy fats that come from the almonds, fiber, and the lower glycemic sugars, this bread is a great option for assisting in blood sugar balance.
Blood sugar balance is not only important for those with diabetes but for everyone seeking to live a healthy lifestyle! Blood sugar balance affects our hormones and so much more!
Nutrition in Protein Banana Bread
Protein Banana Bread Packed with Naturally Occurring Protein
You may be used to adding protein powder to your recipes in order to enhance the quantity of protein. But, that is simply not necessary with this recipe. The main ingredient in this protein banana bread is almond flour. As you may know, almonds are filled with protein.
There is 81 grams of protein in this loaf of banana bread. That equals about 11 grams of protein per slice.
Now, I know that we live in a world of packing at least 20 grams of protein into everything that goes into our mouth. But that is not necessary and not natural.
This protein banana bread is a fabulous opportunity to get nearly 18% of your protein need for the day (this depends on how much protein you are going for)
Packed with Healthy Fats
This banana bread recipe is not only packed with protein, but also healthy fats. Healthy fats are important for the metabolism of sugar. Fat helps slow the digestion of sugar. So, it is always good when we can pair sugar and fat.
Packed With Fiber
There are 45 grams of fiber in this loaf of bread which equals about 5.5 grams per slice. This is equal to 22% of the daily fiber needs of adults up to age 50. Fiber is also important for helping slow the digestion of sugar so that we do not have steep inclines in blood sugar levels. The steep spikes are what we try to avoid.
Protein Banana Bread with Healthier Sugars
This protein banana bread contains 100% pure, organic maple syrup which is a lower glycemic sugar. It also has the sugar of the banana which is low-medium on the glycemic scale. Choosing sugars that are lower on the glycemic scale is beneficial when balancing blood sugar.
*I’m sure you know this, but don’t be deceived. Some companies sell you “maple syrup”, which is simply maple flavored corn syrup. But when you use 100% pure maple syrup you are in for a delicious and much more healthy treat!
Blanched Almond Flour & Benefit
The almond flour used in my recipe is a gut friendly alternative — blanched almond flour. It is gut friendly because the lectins have been removed in the blanching process.
Lectins are found on the outside of many plants in order to deter predators. However, they are not meant for human consumption. When they are consumed by humans they can get into the gut lining and prevent absorption of nutrients. They can also bind to cells lining the digestive tract. This may disrupt the breakdown and absorption of nutrients, and affect the growth and action of intestinal flora. Because lectin proteins bind to cells for long periods of time, they can potentially cause an autoimmune response and are theorized to play a role in inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and type 1 diabetes (Harvard, Lectins, 2022).
Check out these gut friendly recipes. They are also made with blanched almond flour!
Ingredients
- Mashed bananas
- Almond flour
- Eggs
- Maple syrup
- Coconut oil
- Vanilla extract
- Cinnamon
- Baking power
- Baking soda
- Salt
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
The process for making Protein Banana Bread couldn’t be simpler. There is no need for a standing mixer. Simply use a spoon and medium sized bowl and mix all the ingredients together.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees & prepare all ingredients (see recipe card for ingredients and amounts).
Oil a 9×5 loaf pan (I simply use some coconut oil and brush it around the loaf pan)
Add the mashed bananas to a medium-large mixing bowl
Add eggs and to the bananas and mix well.
Add vanilla and maple syrup. Stir.
Add almond flour to the banana and egg mixture. Mix until combined.
Add salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon
Pour batter into greased loaf pan; bake for 50 minutes, or until middle is set.
Hint: Make sure to let loaf dry completely before serving and especially before storing so that it does not create an environment for growing mold rapidly.
Substitutions
Though this recipe is not from Cookie & Kate, I did enjoy reading some of her suggestions. Some of those suggestions might be reflected below.
Oil: You might substitute the oil with an additional ¼ cup of mashed banana.
Flour: I would not suggest substituting the almond flour. Almond flour is not often a forgiving flour. It does not absorb the way that conventional flours do. Therefore, the entirety of this recipe is crafted with almond flour as the leader and messing with the leader might provide you with unwanted effects!
Maple Syrup: You can substitute with any sweetener (wet or dry). I would only suggest coconut sugar for health purposes.
Variations
This protein banana bread recipe is unbelievable versatile! The bananas can be swapped for pumpkin puree, apple sauce, and more. Try Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread variation.
- Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread
Equipment
There is no essential equipment for this recipe other than a bowl, oven, and mixing spoon!
Storage
All Things Storing: This Southern Living article offers a comprehensive look at all the things for storing banana bread! But here are some quick tips:
Let It Dry: Let it fully dry before storing. This is crucial as you don’t want the heat to create moisture that will quickly lead to mold!
Room Temperature: Eat within 3-4 days after leaving at room temperature.
Refrigerator: Leaving it in the refrigerator will cause it to go dry faster.
Freezing: Can be frozen. I suggest pre-slicing before freezing!
Talk & Taste
Consider getting together with some friends for an afternoon talk and taste. Sit down with a slice of protein banana bread and a warm cup of coffee and talk about what makes you feel most at home. You could even talk about what doesn’t make you feel at home.
At the beginning of this post, I talked about being far away from my Georgia home, off in Wyoming, and I said that this protein banana bread made me feel at home. But truly, it was more than the protein banana bread — which I’m sure that you guessed. It was the community that we made, especially with the family that we did have there (my husband’s aunt, uncle, and cousin) and the family we created at our classical Christian school. We were all transplants and came to the town for one reason, the school. We were on mission together and it created a bond like no other.
We were all pretty far from home and in need of strong friends. I can’t tell you enough about the deep conversations and some of the most hilarious ones we had with our friends. If anything made us feel like home, it was them, the family we had and the family we made.
What makes you feel at home when you feel so far from home?
FAQ
Flax eggs are not a perfect swap for eggs in every recipe and this is one of those recipes. Using flax eggs will result in an unwanted gooey texture.
If you want to make this recipe and you only have unripe bananas, simply peel the bananas, mash as well as possible, and let sit for 20 minutes before using them. This will speed the ripening process.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with [this recipe]:
Protein Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 3 medium-large bananas 1 cup mashed
- 3 eggs large
- ¼ cup coconut sugar or pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup coconut oil or grass fed butter
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 cups almond flour not almond meal
- 2 teaspoon coconut oil for greasing pan
Serving Suggestions
Any morning: serve with coffee or breakfast tea
Snack: eat with a cold tea in the summer or warm tea in the winter.
Fall: Add some cream cheese & cinnamon and serve on a platter.
I enjoy cutting the bread slices further into cubes and serving it as finger food!
I think the morning is the best time to eat this delicate and delicious treat & this is one bread/sweet item that I don’t feel guilty eating by itself early in the morning. I am very conscious about choosing options that encourage balanced blood sugar levels early in the morning in order to get the day started on the right food (oooops I type that word way too much).
As mentioned at the beginning of this post, almond flour is packed with macro nutrients that aid in blood sugar balance!
Food safety
- Let dry completely before wrapping or storing at room temperature.
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 158 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don’t leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
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