Wholesome Wednesdays (banana bread with only 5g sugar/serving)

I've decided I have to start organizing my thoughts & ideas for the blog. My brain has been flooded with tips, recipes & craft projects since I started writing the blog, one week ago.  So to calm my mind I have chosen to make Wednesdays a day I dedicate to wholesome, good for you recipes. What sparked this idea was an all-day baking extravaganza today. I went and bought the cookbook Eat What You Love by Marlene Koch (after borrowing it from the library I decided it would be a great addition to my cookbook collection) and today I did nothing but make recipes for the kids (and myself). I focused on breakfast and snack ideas; things that could be made ahead and frozen, then just microwaved for quick mornings.


Today's feature is Wholesome Banana Bread.  It's not a hard recipe, and with a few substitutions to a traditional banana bread, this little gem is full of flavor and has only 5 grams of sugar per serving.  Most people probably have almost everything in their pantry to make this bread, except perhaps the white whole wheat flour. This flour can be found in the regular baking aisle at the grocery store (I found it in Oneonta, so you can find it in your local store :o)


The kids love it and I have to say myself, it's a nice substitution for a traditional banana bread. I have discovered in the last few months, the more I cook without sugar, the more my palette is getting used to the lighter versions of my favorites. Now when I eat something laced in traditional sugar, it seems almost too sweet.  I hope you will try this recipe and look forward to Wholesome Wednesdays.

banana bread recipe

2 large eggs
2/3 cup splenda granulated sweetener
1 1/3 cups mashed banana (about 3 medium ripe bananas)
1/4 vegetable oil
1 tbsp molasses
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup walnuts (optional)

in a large bowl beat eggs and splenda until pale yellow and tripled in volume. turn mixer down to low and add mashed bananas, oil, molasses and vanilla. in another bowl mix dry ingredients and make a well. slowly pour banana mixture into well and stir with spatula until just combined. pour into 9x5 loaf pan, lightly coated with cooking spray. bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45 to 50 minutes. (mine was done at 45) cool on a wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes, then remove from pan, allow to cool on rack.  serves 12

calories 160, carbs 24g (sugar 5g), total fat 6g (sat fat .5g), protein 4g, fiber 2g, cholesterol 35mg, sodium 10mg, weight watchers point comp:3

recipe and nutritional information is courtesy of Eat What You Love by Marlene Koch