Wednesday, April 20, 2011

where bananas go to die

It seems like whenever I buy a bunch of bananas, they are great one day and the next they look like this

I had always thought about turning them in to banana bread (which I only started liking as an adult) but I know that traditional recipes have horrific fat and calorie counts.

SOOO after much research into healthier recipes (and taste testing of course), The Hungry Girl Banana bread recipe wins hands down. This is quickly becoming my favorite breakfast on the go.

My kitchen is ridiculously small and I have to use my stove for extra counter space.

Lucy does not help

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups whole-wheat flour
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated)
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3 bananas)

1/2 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters)
1/2 cup no-sugar-added applesauce
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt

Optional Toppings: no-calorie spray butter, Cool Whip Free


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine both types of flour, Splenda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon (in other words, all dry ingredients). In a separate bowl, mix together the mashed bananas, egg substitute, applesauce, and vanilla extract (all the wet ingredients). Add this mixture to the bowl with the dry ingredients, and stir until just
blended. Spoon batter into a large loaf pan (about 9" X 5") sprayed with nonstick spray. Bake for about 50 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow to cool slightly, and then cut into 8 slices. If you like, spritz with some spray butter or spread on some Cool Whip Free. MAKES 8 SERVINGS


Serving Size: 1 (thick!) slice
Calories: 140
Fat: 0.5g

Sodium: 267mg
Carbs: 31g
Fiber: 3.75g
Sugars: 7g
Protein: 5g


Yum


share with nice neighbors


15 comments:

  1. Sounds amazing! I havent had banana bread in years.

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  2. I love using applesauce as a replacement for things like eggs and oil. It makes your food so much more moist and delectable! I also like throwing in little stuff like brewers yeast and flaxseeds for the extra nutritional benefit. Looks pretty tasty!

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  3. When a new neighbor moves in to the area, I usually take a loaf of some kind of bread. When a young family moved in next door I took them a loaf of banana bread as a welcome gift. The mother told me later that they were having trouble getting their youngest daughter to eat anything and the only thing they could get her to eat was that banana bread so now I have a bond with that little girl and take it to her at Christmas and at other times I have extra ripe bananas.

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  4. Looks great. I'd like to try it if you'd come to my house and make it for me. Okay, okay... you can bring Lucy, too. One more unhelpful dog won't spoil the party...

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  5. 1. Looks DELICIOUS!!!
    2. Very creative use of the stove with the cutting board, IMO.
    3. Your kitchen is the same color as my living room. Clearly you have great taste!

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  6. Save me a piece!! Missed yoga because of stupid work. Need to find a later class though. When you're done cooking at your house, feel free to come to mine!

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  7. That looks so good! Also looks like this would be a great recipe for someone who is diabetic. Thanks for sharing.

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  8. Awww, Lucy looks like a bigger version of Paco!

    Also, my bananas do the same thing. I slice them up and freeze them - either use them in smoothies or sometimes just eat them frozen - surprisingly good. I don't dare make banana bread. To me one loaf is a single serving.

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  9. Yum! I love banana bread, although I swear that splenda gives me a headache.

    Something you should try with super ripe bananas is to freeze them and then blend them with a little bit of water. They make delicious banana ice cream!

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  10. I have a teenage son who loves bananas, so they disappear in a couple of days. I actually have to hide some if I want to be able to eat any. That recipe looks great, I may have to hide some so they can ripen & I can try it!

    Thanks for sharing & have a blessed Easter!

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  11. It's bananas like that that I love! I found a tip somewhere that if you pull all of them apart they ripen more slowly. I tried it with the last bunch I bought and I'm not sure if they did or not, but it's a trick I read.

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  12. I've not had success with the Hungry Girl recipies, so it's good to know someone who's actually tried one and liked the result. I LOVE bananas and haven't had banana bread in forever - so I just might have to try this.

    Also - that's a really great idea with the cutting board on the stove. I muself have NO counter space and am often times having to use the top of my microwave to cut things up, I really like that idea lot!

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  13. If you can't get to the bananas right away - you can freeze them until you are ready to make the bread. Of course - if you forget about them like I do...you will one day find a ziploc bag of sad looking black bananas that are frozen like a rock.

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  14. Tina gave me some of this banana bread, and it was dee to the el ishus. Thanks, Tina!

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  15. Thanks!
    I made two loaves and cut 16 pieces and put them in freezer bags for a quick breakfast or snack!
    DELISH!!!

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