Secretly healthy chocolate banana bread

I love chocolate.  I love baked sweets.  And I love to bake & experiment in the kitchen.  But I also don’t like to overindulge, I never feel well when I do.  So I really enjoy taking some of my favorite sinful, sugar-laden recipes for baked goods and putting a healthy spin on them.  Recently I have been obsessed with my healthy chocolate banana bread.  It satisfied my sweet tooth, my chocolate cravings, and is deliciously moist.  This recipe is packed with 5 grams of protein per serving, and contains no added sugars (unless you add chocolate chips – which I usually do).   Check out my post for some information about what I consider healthy in my cooking and baking. 

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I like to bake my banana bread into muffins to portion-control myself, otherwise I might eat the whole loaf in one sitting!  This chocolate banana bread is sweetened naturally with bananas, dates, and a touch of stevia.  I use Greek yogurt to sneak in some extra protein, and I use whole wheat flour for an extra nutrient boost. 

Hint:  even if you don’t soak grains to remove phytic acid, soaking the flour in the liquid in this recipe for 20-30 minutes to allow the moisture to fully saturate each grain of flour really improves the texture of the break or muffins.  

Secretly healthy chocolate banana bread

Makes about delicious 20 muffins.

Ingredients

1.5 cup (180 g), whole wheat flour
1.5 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp (3 g) iodized salt
1/16 tsp (0.8g) pure stevia extract powder
19.50 oz (553 g, about 2.5 cups) frozen bananas, thawed & mashed
80.00 grams (8-10) medjool dates
4 large eggs
8 tbsp (40 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
¾ cup (6 oz or 170 grams), Greek plain nonfat yogurt
1.5 Tbsp apple cider vinegar, if soaking
Optional: 30 g (1/4 cup), unsweetened flaked coconut
Optional: 60 grams (about ¼ cup) Ghirardelli 60% cacao bittersweet chips, or other chocolate chips

Directions

1. Thaw peeled, frozen bananas.  I do this by placing the peeled frozen bananas in a large measuring cup, and microwaving in 30 second to 1 minute increments until thawed.  It is ok if the banana gets a little warm.  Mash using a fork or potato masher.
2. Place dates (inspect and remove any pits) Greek yogurt, and apple cider vinegar (if using) in a food processor or powerful blender (I use my Ninja single serve container) and blend until dates are in small pieces.  
3. In a large bowl, beat the eggs (with a fork is fine).
4. (if soaking) To the bowl with the eggs, add the mashed bananas, date puree, flour, and cocoa powder.  Mix well.  If using, add coconut and chocolate chips.  Cover and let sit at room temperature about 12 hours.  Immediately before baking, add salt, baking powder, and stevia, and mix well.
5. (if not soaking)  To the bowl with the eggs, add the mashed bananas, date puree, flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and stevia.  Mix well.  If using, add coconut and chocolate chips.
6. Heat oven to 350°Fahrenheit (177°Celsius)
7. Grease 20 regular size muffin containers.  Fill muffin containers about 2/3 full (I use an ice cream scoop).
8. Bake about 16 minutes, or until the top springs back when gently pressed. 
9. Allow to cook at least 10 minutes, then begin to devour!

Secretly Healthy Chocolate Banana Bread

Banana bread recipe with healthy substitutions

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Prep Time 25 mins

Cook Time 18 mins

Ingredients

  

• 1.5 cup 180 g, whole wheat flour
• 1.5 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp 3 g iodized salt
• 1/16 tsp 0.8g pure stevia extract powder
• 19.50 oz 553 g, about 2.5 cups frozen bananas, thawed & mashed
• 80.00 grams 8-10 medjool dates
• 4 large eggs
• 8 tbsp 40 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
• ¾ cup 6 oz or 170 grams, Greek plain nonfat yogurt
• 1.5 Tbsp apple cider vinegar if soaking
• Optional: 30 g 1/4 cup, unsweetened flaked coconut
• Optional: 60 grams about ¼ cup Ghirardelli 60% cacao bittersweet chips, or other chocolate chips

Instructions

 

• 1. Thaw peeled, frozen bananas. I do this by placing the peeled frozen bananas in a large measuring cup, and microwaving in 30 second to 1 minute increments until thawed. It is ok if the banana gets a little warm. Mash using a fork or potato masher.
• 2. Place dates (inspect and remove any pits) Greek yogurt, and apple cider vinegar (if using) in a food processor or powerful blender (I use my Ninja single serve container) and blend until dates are in small pieces.
• 3. In a large bowl, beat the eggs (with a fork is fine).
• 4. (if soaking) To the bowl with the eggs, add the mashed bananas, date puree, flour, and cocoa powder. Mix well. If using, add coconut and chocolate chips. Cover and let sit at room temperature about 12 hours. Immediately before baking, add salt, baking powder, and stevia, and mix well.
• 5. (if not soaking) To the bowl with the eggs, add the mashed bananas, date puree, flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and stevia. Mix well. If using, add coconut and chocolate chips.
• 6. Heat oven to 350°Fahrenheit (177°Celsius)
• 7. Grease 20 regular size muffin containers. Fill muffin containers about 2/3 full (I use an ice cream scoop).
• 8. Bake about 16 minutes, or until the top springs back when gently pressed.
• 9. Allow to cook at least 10 minutes, then begin to devour!

Nutrition

Per 1 muffin, or 1/20th batch.  Includes all optional ingredients.

Cost

• whole wheat flour , $3.99 for 5lb=2268 grams, $3.99x(180g/2268g)= $0.317
• baking soda, $0.79 for 1 lb=454g, $0.79 x (7.2g/454g)=$0.013 
• iodized salt 1/2 tsp $0.45 for 26 oz=737g, $0.45x(3g/737g)=$0.002
• pure stevia extract powder 1/16 tsp $18 for 3.5oz=100g, $18x(0.8/100g)=$0.144
• frozen bananas, $0.39 per pound (16oz) unpeeled, yields about 0.64 lb (10.24oz) peeled.  $0.39x(19.50oz/10.24oz)=$0.743
• medjool dates, $7.99 per 40 oz=1134g, $7.99x(80g/1134g)=$0.564
• 4 large eggs, $1.99 per dozen, $1.99x(4/12)=$0.663
• unsweetened cocoa powder, $7.99 for 23oz=652g, $7.99x(40g/652g)=$0.490
• Greek plain nonfat yogurt 3/4cup $3.79 for 40 oz, $3.79x(6oz/40oz)=$0.569
• apple cider vinegar, $1.50 per 32 fl oz=64 Tbsp, $1.50x(1.5Tbsp/64Tbsp)=$0.035
• unsweetened shredded coconut, $3.99 for 12oz=340g, $3.99x(30g/340g)=$0.352
• Ghirardelli 60% cacao bittersweet chips 60 grams, $10.99 for 3lb=1361g, $10.99x(60g/1361g)=$0.484

Total cost for 1 batch is $4.38, or $0.22 per muffin. 

Not only are these banana bread muffins healthier than most you could buy, but they cost significantly less than anything you can buy.  These double chocolate coconut banana bread muffins are a delicious, healthy, and budget friendly treat!

I could eat this banana bread every day!