Description

This Healthy Chocolate Banana Bread is a delicious, nutritious twist on the classic loaf, made with ripe bananas, cocoa powder, and oat flour. Sweetened naturally with monk fruit or brown sugar and optionally boosted with protein powder, this moist and flavorful bread is perfect for a guilt-free snack or breakfast treat.

Ingredients

Scale

Wet Ingredients

3 medium ripe bananas (about 12 oz/360 g total)
2 large eggs
¼ cup (60 g) nut butter (almond, peanut, cashew, or sunflower seed butter)
1 tsp vanilla extract

Sweeteners & Seasonings

⅓ cup (70 g) granular sweetener (monk fruit or brown sugar)
⅙ tsp sea salt

Dry Ingredients

1 ½ cup (150 g) oat flour (or preferred flour)
½ cup (50 g) cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
¼ cup (40 g) chocolate chips

Optional Protein Boost

½ cup (50 g) protein powder (as a replacement for ½ cup of flour; recommend vegan protein or casein)

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Instructions

Prepare the Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 20 cm (7.9 inches) loaf pan with parchment paper or grease it lightly with oil to prevent sticking.
Mash Bananas and Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork until smooth. Stir in the nut butter and eggs until well combined.
Add Sweetener and Flavorings: Mix in your choice of granular sweetener, vanilla extract, and sea salt. Whisk or stir the mixture for about two minutes to ensure everything is evenly combined.
Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Stir in the oat flour (or oat flour combined with protein powder), cocoa powder, and baking powder. Mix well until the batter is uniform, then gently fold in the chocolate chips.
Bake the Bread: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and optionally sprinkle extra chocolate chips on top. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool the Bread: Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 15 minutes. Then transfer it to a wire rack or plate to cool completely before slicing.

Notes

You can substitute up to ½ cup of flour with protein powder to increase the protein content. Use vegan protein or casein for best moisture retention. Avoid whey protein as it may dry out the bread. Suggested flavors are vanilla, chocolate, or unflavored.
The nutrition facts are calculated using monk fruit sweetener. Using brown sugar or regular sugar will increase calories and carbohydrates. Adding protein powder changes the macronutrient profile by reducing carbs and boosting protein. Adjust nutrition calculations based on your specific ingredients.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 60 g)
Calories: 150 kcal
Sugar: 5 g
Sodium: 120 mg
Fat: 6 g
Saturated Fat: 1 g
Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 22 g
Fiber: 4 g
Protein: 5 g
Cholesterol: 40 mg