Yes! You read the title right. It is National Banana Lovers Day! If you are like me and eat bananas on a daily basis you understand the addiction. From one banana lover to the next I thought I would share my favorite banana inspired recipes.
Okay, YES, bananas are higher in sugar, but they also are a great source of potassium and contain good levels of protein, as well as dietary fiber. I use bananas a lot for substitutions in my baking. They help cut out fats and other binding ingredients I may not want for that specific recipe. I religiously go to the grocery story in the beginning of the week and ALWAYS, I mean ALWAYS buy a new bundle of bananas. There will even be some still sitting at home overripe. I hate watching food go to waste, so instead of throwing brown bananas away, that is when our household gets BBGs (baked banana goods). I love baking with overripe bananas because they are easier to work with, and have a sweeter flavor by then. You can use either of these recipes with normal ripe bananas as well. That is just my personal preference.
Ready for the good stuff?!
Peanut Butter Banana Pancakes!
They are more like crepes but just as delicious. Perfect for Sunday Mornings! Simple and FlOUR/GLUTEN FREE! I am not exactly sure where I first saw this recipe, but I was addicted ever since and decided to add peanut butter to spruce it up!
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 Banana
- 2 Eggs
- Cinnamon
- Peanut Butter (optional)
- Honey (optional)
Start by mashing the banana with a fork, then add the 2 eggs, cinnamon and whisk together. You can add as much or little cinnamon as you desire. I love cinnamon because it reminds me of the holidays so I always add extra. I recommend starting with a little. I probably use 1/2 TSP. myself. If you don’t like cinnamon you can leave it out all together.
Once your mix is ready, use coconut oil (my personal preference, butter/oil works just the same) and heat your cooking pan on medium. I keep my pancakes smaller because they are easier to flip since they come out thin (in-between a crepe & a pancake). They only take a couple minutes on each side. Lift up a corner if needed, once you see them starting to turn a brownish color, go ahead and flip them. While the pancake is still warm I spread a little peanut butter over them and top with raw honey (you can use maple syrup) and banana slices!
Note: Feel free to add vanilla, almond extract or blueberries to the recipe to add some more flavor!
Healthy Banana Bread!
If you are looking for a super sugary-sweet banana bread, THIS IS NOT IT! This is the perfect combo of fluffy, dense and moist wrapped up in a tin!
INGREDIENTS:
- 1/3 c. Melted Coconut Oil/Olive Oile (see notes)
- 1/2 Honey or Maple Syrup (I use organic raw honey)
- 2 Eggs
- 3 Ripe Bananas
- 1/4 Milk or Water
- 1 TSP. Baking Soda
- 1 TSP. Vanilla Extract (you can use almond, keep in mind it is a stronger flavor)
- 1/2 TSP. Salt
- 1/2 TSP Cinnamon (plus more on top)
- 1 3/4 Whole Wheat Flour (you can use all purpose, you also can combine some almond flour, 1:1 ratio)
NOTE: I leave out the Milk/Water and use 1/2 C. of Coconut Oil instead. I feel the recipe has enough liquid and does not need excess. FEEL FREE to add nuts, choc. chips, blueberries, dried fruit ETC.
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (165 degrees Celsius) and grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
- In a large bowl, beat the oil and honey together together with a whisk. Add the eggs and beat well, then whisk in the mashed bananas and milk. (If your coconut oil solidifies on contact with cold ingredients, simply let the bowl rest in a warm place for a few minutes, like on top of your stove, or warm it for about 10 seconds in the microwave.)
- Add the baking soda, vanilla, salt and cinnamon, and whisk to blend. Lastly, switch to a big spoon and stir in the flour, just until combined. Some lumps are ok! If you’re adding any additional mix-ins, gently fold them in now.
- Pour the batter into your greased loaf pan and sprinkle lightly with cinnamon. If you’d like a pretty swirled effect, run the tip of a knife across the batter in a zig-zag pattern.
- Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the bread cool in the loaf pan for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes before slicing
Note: Recipe from Cookie+Kate, derived from Allrecipes.
You can also sub almond flour 1:1 ratio, all purpose flour will work as well if you do not have whole wheat flour.
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know how your goodies turned out! Upload your picture in the comments below and be sure to #thelovettelife
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