Hello friends. It’s been a while. The entire summer passed by and I took a little break from the website. As I am sure you can all relate, there are periods when life seems fuller and busier than others, and you just have to make a choice about how to spend your time. I’ve been trying to figure out why I stepped away from this, and I don’t have a very novel answer. I simply prioritized other things. Spending time with my kids, sleeping more, reading, getting out and being in nature instead of in front of a computer. Oh, and of course there’s that thing called work. We went to Colorado at the end of August though, and it was just what I needed to recharge. Lots of family time and hiking, and appreciating the grandeur of The Rockies. They were incredible, and helped put things into perspective.
Another reason that I stepped away was that my shoulder decided to go crazy for a few months. Physical therapy three times a week all summer and the order to rest it as much as possible meant over a month of no cooking at all, because I couldn’t chop anything, lift my arm to reach the dishes, or move a heavy pot. So yeah, I was a little off my game. When you can’t go to your happy place (the kitchen for me) because it hurts, changes have to happen. That said, I still was mostly able to feed my family during that time from the chest freezer that was stocked in my basement and which now is pretty depleted. It just goes to show that planning ahead is always smart. Of course that means now it’s time to fill it up again!
And this Whole Wheat Banana Bread with Coconut Sugar is a great addition to any freezer. Or a lunch a box, or the paper towel you grab as you rush out the door so that you can eat it in the car on your way to wherever, or on a fancy plate for company. It also packs nicely for a plane ride to India apparently, since it is what my in-laws always ask me to make them whenever they visit. (Did I tell you they moved? They moved. I’m a bit heartbroken that they’re down in Virginia now, but they’re loving it there.) So I baked a loaf for them to take on their last trip and it was reported that it travels well. It’s a sturdy little cake. Because you use coconut sugar instead of regular, and whole wheat flour, it is a bit denser than a typical banana bread, and has a lower profile. Really, it doesn’t rise as high. I feel this makes it heartier and more satisfying, so I find this a plus. Bananas are sweet enough, so the added coconut sugar is minimal, and you don’t get that cloying sweetness that some banana breads have. And it’s refined sugar free, which is always a good thing, and something I have written about before. (Baked Eggs with Sautéed Mushrooms anyone? Or Sesame Date Granola?)
It’s a one bowl quick bread, you can prep it in under 10 minutes, and it’s a perfect way to use up any over-ripe bananas you have lingering in your fruit bowl or hanging out in your freezer. (Do you have a massive collection of bananas in your freezer? Because I do. Here’s a great smoothie recipe you can use for them.) It’s a healthier choice than most, and I feel good about making it and serving it to those I love. I hope you give it a try, and if you do, please let me know what you think!
Whole Wheat Banana Bread with Coconut Sugar is a healthy treat, quick to put together, easy to make, refined sugar-free and freezer-friendly. It's as great for lunch boxes as it is for tea time.
Ingredients
- 3 large bananas, extra ripe (about 350 grams)
- 5 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted (71 grams)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour (180 grams)
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar (75 grams)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350F/176C. Spray cooking spray into a loaf pan, or use a bit of butter to grease it and sprinkle the pan with a dusting of flour.
Melt your butter in the bottom of a large glass mixing bowl in the microwave, or in a pan on the stove. Add your three bananas to the melted butter, mashing them up until it is all well combined and mostly smooth and the butter is no longer hot (because you don't want your egg to cook when it hits it.). Mix in the egg and the vanilla extract.
If you want to be proper, in a separate bowl combine your dry ingredients together. If you want to be lazy and not really have anything terrible happen, you can add all your dry ingredients individually to the big bowl, and make sure to mix thoroughly. Just make sure to start with the flour first, then put the sugar on top, followed by the baking soda and the salt, trying to get those evenly mixed first before combining them with the wet ingredients. This is meant to be a one bowl bread, so you might as well just keep it simple.
Pour your mostly smooth batter into the bread pan and bake in the middle of the oven for 50 minutes to an hour, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean or with dried crumbs.
Enjoy your bread with a cup of tea, or freeze it for company next week.
Notes
*Freeze your bananas when they get to be extra ripe and spotted brown, because they are at their sweetest. Store them peeled in ziploc bags, and break off what you need for the bread. You can defrost overnight in the fridge, or in the microwave. You can also use them for smoothies or banana nice cream.
**If you don't have white whole wheat flour, you can use all purpose.
***Coconut sugar can be replaced with regular white sugar.
****This freezes really well. Just wrap it in plastic wrap and put in a ziploc freezer bag for up to 6 months.
Welcome back! This looks delicious. 🙂
Thanks, Carol!
Can’t wait to try. And so so happy you’re back!
Thanks so much, Pat!
We enjoyed the unique taste of this Banana Bread every time Karen made it.
A great snack for the lunch box, travel. coffee with friends and family or even by yourself when you are alone.
Definitely a request for the holidays. Make sure you bake more than one loaf since there is always ” can I have one more piece.)
Thanks, Mom. I will definitely bake you some at Thanksgiving!