Simply Sugarless: Whole Wheat Banana Bread

Welcome to our fourth installment of Simply Sugarless, a new sugar-free recipe column written by Starr Struck's own Sara Meeks. Take it away, Sara...

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Is there anything better than warm baked goods on cold winter days? Definitely not. This month’s recipe is one of my favorites. I know I don’t miss the sugar and I hope you feel the same way... 


Sugar-Free Whole Wheat Banana Bread
Cooking Time: 20 minutes prep, 1 hour cooking (1 hour, 20 minutes total)
Yield: 1 loaf (8-10 slices depending on thickness) 

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 ripe bananas, mashed (my best results have come from very ripe bananas that I’ve frozen and then let thaw on the counter for an hour)
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease pan.
• Mix mashed bananas with yogurt, honey, eggs, applesauce, and vanilla. 
• Whisk together the flour and baking soda.
• Add flour mixture and stir until just blended. Do not overmix. **For the record, I have done this recipe in one bowl and I don’t notice a difference. Saving the extra dishes more than makes up for any negligible difference, but that’s just my opinion.**
• Pour batter into prepared pan.
• Bake large loaf for 60-70 minutes or until it comes clean with a knife.

{Recipe modified from this one.} 

MEET SIMPLY SUGARLESS:

Each month, I’ll be scouring the internet and my own personal recipe box for simple, sugarfree recipes that you can make without a bunch of exotic (and expensive) ingredients. I’m not suggesting that all the recipes will be super healthy (we’re still talking about baked goods and sweets, people), but I promise the recipes highlighted will be *healthier* versions of delicious treats, yummy snacks, and long-time favorite eats.

My goal here is to completely avoid refined white sugar and/or any of the artificial sweeteners that are usually present in sugar-free recipes. I’m also going to try my very hardest not to use any super-sugary syrup substitutes like honey and agave  (although maple syrup and molasses might make a cameo every now and then because they have a few more beneficial qualities in the form of vitamins + minerals). 

And one final note: you’ll notice that the recipe is listed right at the top of this post. Does it drive anyone else crazy when you have to scroll down forever to reach the actual recipe on most websites? Hope this intentional formatting makes your life just a bit easier ;)
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MEET SARA:

​My interest in finding sugarfree recipes stems from my quest to find healthier snack options for my sons (3.5 and 1.5 years).

As it turns out (spoiler alert!) sugar is in everything. I started substituting different ingredients for sugar and have realized that a lot of times I don’t miss it at all.

When I’m not dreaming up or testing new yummy recipes, I love spending my time with my husband and our boys, crafting, practicing yoga, reading, and taking photographs.

​If you’re interested in learning a little more about me, here’s the introduction Mary Catherine wrote up when I joined the Starr Stuck team and here’s my little one-photo-a-day blog that journals the daily adventures of living with little ones in Washington, D.C.

​Thanks so much, Sara! I am seriously going to try this recipe this weekend. Sounds AMAZING and is right up my alley...

​Enjoy, everyone!