Today marks exactly TWO YEARS since starting my food blog! ๐ฅณ This Banana Bread was the very first recipe I posted on October 23rd, 2017! ๐๐ It was also the first recipe I had truly perfected on my own. ๐๐ฌ๐๐งช๐ค To this day, I still make this banana bread quite often and it just gets better with time.
Since starting my blog, Iโve published 88 recipes with many more in the works! ๐๐ฉ๐ปโ๐ณ I canโt believe how far Iโve come, but Iโm very proud of what Iโve built so far. ๐คฉ Itโs been a fun journey full of learning, patience, and yummy food. I really appreciate you all following along with me and all your love and support! ๐ฅฐ
Now, on to the post!
In our household, we like to (pretend to) be healthy. But we also have a major sweet tooth. I came up with this recipe during one of our โno-sweets dietsโ. Itโs great to satiate your cravings while also fulfilling your healthy choice dessert option. And believe it or not, this banana bread is SUGAR-FREE! I use honey instead of sugar along with the natural sweetness of the bananas. Another great thing about this recipe is that itโs quick and easy to put together. I literally make this banana bread about once a week due to its simplicity.
A great tip to share with you is that itโs smart to freeze your bananas as soon as they ripen so that you can pull them out whenever youโre ready to get started. Peel and chop your bananas before freezing them. Then put them in small sandwich bags tightly sealed. Make sure to label how many bananas are in each bag. Once ready to use, I usually thaw in the microwave for about one to two minutes and then mash with a fork. Make sure to drain any excess water to prevent sogginess in the finished product.
To keep with the healthy theme, I like to use whole wheat flour and unsweetened almond milk. It makes for great texture and flavor. Now, for those of you who need a little chocolate in your life, that's where the chocolate chips come in to play. I ALWAYS make this banana bread with chocolate chips. It's really a matter of perception because some people think chocolate is healthy while others do not. I'll let you guys decide.
For me personally, Iโll add about 2/3 cups raisins and 2/3 cups chocolate chips (give or take). However, keep in mind that this banana bread is still very satisfying without these extra additions. You can choose to leave toppings out completely or you can opt for just the raisins. OR add almonds, walnuts, and anything else you can think of. Feel free to get creative with this part. There's really so many different ways you can play around with the toppings for this banana bread depending on your preference. For me, it's always going to be my trusted chocolate chips and raisins!
This banana bread is one of the first recipes Iโve perfected so please give it a try and let me know how it turns out! ๐๐ ๐ซ
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
BAKE TIME: 60 minutes
โMAKES: One 9 x 5 loaf