Merry Christmas eve, my friends! I cannot believe another year is coming to a close, and what a year it has been. Personally, and professionally, 2018 was an amazing year for me. Inevitably, as the holidays approach and the days wind down, an irresistible urge to bake and create comes over me (and particularly for banana bread!). I’m not sure if it’s because of the extra time on my hands or the urge to create something new to take into the new year with me, but whatever it is, I’m appreciative of it.
Let me introduce you to my newest (and one of my best) creations – a healthier Kodiak Cakes Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips!
Healthier Kodiak Cakes Banana Bread With Chocolate Chips
What compelled me to make banana bread, a seemingly un-traditional Christmas dish, you ask? Well, it’s as simple as the fact that I had a couple of bananas that were quickly turning brown haha. I’m a banana bread fanatic but we all know it’s not necessarily the healthiest dish in the world. Sure, it has bananas in it which provides potassium and other minerals and vitamins. But other than that, banana bread really is more like a delicious, sugary cake than a health-packed dish.
And this is exactly why I wanted to attempt to make a healthier version.
How I made my Banana Bread healthier
While there’s nothing wrong with mindfully eating something sugary and indulgent, I was curious to see if I could make a banana bread that was healthier and less sugary. Luckily, Kodiak Cakes makes it easy to quickly healthify a traditionally sugary, indulgent dish.
You see, my thought process was that their chocolate chip power cakes would make the perfect substitute for all purpose flour. Not only is the power cake mix made out of whole-wheat flour, which helps you get more fiber into your diet (here’s why fiber is my BFF), it contains 14g of protein per serving! This magical combination of fiber AND protein will help keep you fuller for longer, something which traditional banana bread certainly won’t do.
So now that I’d figured out the flour issue, I took a lot at the sugar issue. Now, I’m not a fan of completely removing all of the white or brown sugar from a recipe and using alternatives. I just don’t think that makes the best product.
So what I did was use a reduced amount of brown sugar, and then I used a low-calorie and low-carb maple syrup and mixed it together with a date syrup. This mixture of brown sugar, maple and date syrup creates a rich, delicious flavor that completely negates the need for more brown or white sugar.
Here’s the recipe For My Banana Bread!
Without further ado, I am pleased to present to you my recipe for a healthier Kodiak Cakes Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips!
AuthorHonestly FitnessPreheat oven to 350 degrees farenheit and place your 4 tbsp of butter (I recommend Kerrygold or Land O' Lakes) on the counter to soften up.
Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer, mix together all of your wet ingredients (butter, bananas, eggs, brown sugar, and date + maple syrup mix).
Now, slowly fold in the rest of your dry ingredients.
Whilst that is mixing, grab a bread tin and grease it (I use ghee or butter to grease mine).
Pour the banana bread mixture into your greased bread tin.
Bake for 35 minutes or until you can insert a knife and have it come out clean.
Let the bread cool for 5 to 10 minutes, and then eat and enjoy!
If you don't have All-U-Lose maple syrup, use another low-calorie maple syrup or real maple syrup.
If you do not have date syrup, use all maple syrup instead.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees farenheit and place your 4 tbsp of butter (I recommend Kerrygold or Land O' Lakes) on the counter to soften up.
Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer, mix together all of your wet ingredients (butter, bananas, eggs, brown sugar, and date + maple syrup mix).
Now, slowly fold in the rest of your dry ingredients.
Whilst that is mixing, grab a bread tin and grease it (I use ghee or butter to grease mine).
Pour the banana bread mixture into your greased bread tin.
Bake for 35 minutes or until you can insert a knife and have it come out clean.
Let the bread cool for 5 to 10 minutes, and then eat and enjoy!
If you don't have All-U-Lose maple syrup, use another low-calorie maple syrup or real maple syrup.
If you do not have date syrup, use all maple syrup instead.
**please note that I am continuing to refine, and perfect, this recipe over time. It sinks slightly in the middle so I need to continue tweaking the temperature, and time it’s cooked for, a little bit. So, it needs a bit of work from an aesthetics standpoint BUT from a taste standpoint, it’s perfecto! 🙂
4 Ways to enjoy this tasty healthier banana bread
SO many ways to enjoy this banana bread either alone, with friends or with family! Or hey, you could donate some to your local homeless shelter as well and give back this holiday season.
1. Eat a slice on it’s own!
My personal favorite way to eat this banana bread is straight out of the oven. Simply cut yourself a slice and enjoy!
2. With sliced bananas and peanut butter
Mmhmm – slice up a banana and arrange on your slice(s) of banana bread. Then, drizzle some peanut butter or your favorite nut butter on top of the sliced bananas. Eat and enjoy!
3. With cream cheese as a substitute for a breakfast bagel!
Skip your usual bagel with cream cheese and have a slice of this tasty Kodiak Cakes banana bread with cream cheese instead.
4. Good ol’ vanilla bean ice-cream
Try this combo with a loaf straight out of the oven. Grab yourself a slice of this healthier banana bread and top it with a scoop of delicious vanilla bean ice-cream. Halo Top ice cream is a good option for those who are looking for a lower-calorie and lower-carb ice-cream!
If you make some of my bread, I’d be VERY appreciative if you could let me know what you think! Shoot me an email, comment below or message me on Instagram. I’ll reshare any Instagram stories with a picture of your recreation. I can’t wait to see your creations and hear your feedback!!
Honestly yours,
Alice
Thank you for all of your support! For more Honestly Fitness, check out my Instagram, Facebook, Twitter & Pinterest and don’t forget to subscribe!
8 Comments
You don’t list the number of eggs in the ingredient list.
Hey Rachel, I apologize for the oversight! This recipe requires just 1 egg. That is now reflected in the recipe. I hope you enjoy it!
Step 2 says add wet ingredients & you mention eggs. But there are no eggs listed in your ingredients.
Carrie, I apologize for the oversight! This recipe requires just 1 egg which is now reflected in the recipe. I hope you enjoy it!
Can you make a cake like this with Kodiak mix but leaving out choc chips and some of the banana for a healthy cake to use similar to a shortcake taste with strawberries for a spring dessert?
Hi Terri! Great question. I’m not sure the mix would work well for a cake (assuming you want something light and fluffy here). This makes quite a dense, moist bread. I think you could omit the chocolate chips and banana, and use sliced strawberries instead, however. Let me know if you do try making a cake with some modifications, however. Would love to know how it turns out! Thank you for visiting my site.
Thank you!! Kids devour it!!
YAY! That’s so amazing to hear. Thank you SO much for making my banana bread and for sharing your thoughts. So happy your kiddos loved it too, Carrie.