Healthy Banana Bread Recipes

The best banana bread is one which uses a recipe that has taken years to perfect, and is specific to the person making it. Banana nut bread or banana raisin loaf, for example, are different from the standard, but are individually spectacular in taste.

This is a great idea for a rainy day with your kids when you need indoor activities, but you'd rather not do crafts or coloring pages...

♥ Banana Bread Recipe

- Start by preheating your oven to 180c, or gas mark 4. Then grease a loaf tin with a little bit of oil or butter, or line with greaseproof paper. Be sure to get into all the corners.

- Put 120g caster sugar (or fructose or brown sugar), 1/2 teaspoon salt, 90g white self-raising flour and 90g whole wheat self-raising flour (or only wholemeal). Mix.

- Make a well in the centre and add 1 large egg, 125ml milk (or vanilla soya milk) and 50g melted butter. Instead of butter you could use soya margarine, which works in the same way, but has more nutritional benefits. Mix well.

- Take 3 ripe bananas, which can be slightly browned, peel them and then chop into chunks or mash slightly. Add to the mixture, folding them in using a spoon.

- Put the whole mixture into the loaf tin, making sure you scrape out all thats left in the bowl. Smooth the mix with the back of a wooden spoon or spatula.

- Pop the tin into the oven for about 1 hour, or until risen and golden brown. Then take it out of the oven, rest for 5 mins and then turn out onto a cooling rack. Once turned out ,slice it up and serve warm spread with butter.

An interesting way of personalising after having tried this recipe, is to experiment with adding different nuts, seeds, dried fruits or chocolate. Dark chocolate chips and chopped walnuts makes an excellent combination that is moist and delicious, whilst having a sincerely chic edge. Or try cranberries, pecans, white chocolate chips and cinnamon for something rather festive and Christmas-sy.

Check out different kinds of healthy bread recipes on Enjoy Healthy Eating.

♥ Banana Bread and Butter Pudding
Ok, so not exactly banana bread, but it does involve bread and bananas! It was too delicious to miss from this healthy eating website, and is a favorite family pudding.

- Start by cutting 12 thin slices of homemade bread, and make sure to remove the crusts.

- Arrange in a large square dish, on top of each other, in layers, or however you prefer to arrange it.

- Whilst this is heating, whisk 4 free range eggs, a pinch of salt and 100g fructose sugar (or any sweetener) together in a large bowl.

- Mash 2 large bananas with a fork and then add the pulp to the egg mixture. Then whisk in 12floz (350ml) single cream and the same amount of milk. Pour this over the arranged bread, and then leave in the fridge overnight (or 4 hours).

- Heat the oven to 180c (350F, Gas Mark 4).

- Place the dish in a bain-marie (or a water bath, a roasting dish with an inch of water in) and put this in the oven for 45 minutes or until set in the centre.

- Remove from the oven and serve warm with cream.

A deliciously healthy way to enjoy this dessert, is to use soya cream instead of regular single cream. Or swap the full fat cream for a lighter version (like Elmlea). Try it with added raisins, dark chocolate pieces or pecans and maple syrup. Delicious, and super easy to make!

For other tasty, healthy banana bread recipes, try:

• Gluten Free Banana Bread by Affairs of Living
• Cinnamon Banana Bread by Not Just Apples
• Choc Nut Carrot and Banana Bread by Veggie Num Num