Healthy Banana Bread the Blissful Breakfast!

I enjoy feeding my kids healthy food that they love, and this banana bread recipe is one of my favorites. The best part is that it makes for a blissful, easy, and quick breakfast if made in advance! I often take great recipes and make them healthier each time until they are acceptably healthy and perfectly flavored. This banana bread is delicious and decently healthy at the same time, which is good when you have little kids that need nutrient packed food as well as options that are low in refined sugars.

My kids already have an incredible amount of energy, so for them I try to stick to a very low processed sugar diet. One child hyped up on sugar is fine, but all 5 kids hyped up on sugar is a nightmare/circus. No matter what is going on they are balls of awesome energy and I love it, but I'm not trying to add to this energy. The other benefit of cooking healthy for the kids is that it keeps me healthy too, so this banana bread is perfect for us all!

What makes this banana bread a little healthier you might ask?

-This recipe is made with white whole wheat, unlike a traditional banana bread recipe that has processed flours and refined sugars.

-This bread is sweetened with honey and bananas only! So in addition to a wonderful natural flavor you get a few minerals that processed sugar does not contain.

-This recipe has GOOD OILS added. Hooray for good quality coconut oil  being amazing for your brain, skin, hair, digestion, healing, eczema, and cancer prevention!

 *Side Note: I'm obsessed with coconut oil! I use it in almost everything that calls for oil and I add it to tea, coffee, cookies, and pancakes! 

-Best part? No one will be able to tell this is a healthy banana bread!

Now I prefer to make banana bread and all breads for that matter in mini loaf pans. It keeps the bread fresh if we eat some and save some. So I use foil mini loaf pans or these awesome Silicone Baking Cups.  With these baking cups each kid gets a cute and fun individual serving in a bright colored cup. What could be better than that?!

So here is the recipe, and keep in mind I use white whole wheat flour but you could also use all purpose flour if you don't have any of the "healthier" stuff on hand. I also use mini chocolate chips in the recipe but you could easily omit those (I would never suggest omitting chocolate for obvious reasons). Other than that this is an easy, simple, straight forward recipe! I hope you enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

  -1/3 cup of melted coconut oil (you can use vegetable oil if needed)

  -1/2 cup of honey

  -2 eggs

  -2-3 large mashed bananas (about 1 heaping cup)

  -1/4 cup milk or cream (I use fresh whole milk from our local dairy farm)

  -1 teaspoon baking soda

  -1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  -1/2 teaspoon almond extract

  -1 teaspoon Captain Morgan Rum (I add this for a little flavor boost and to entice my husband to eat it. I think he will eat or drink anything with Captain in it).

  -1/2 teaspoon salt

  -1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  - 1 3/4 cups white whole wheat flour or regular flour

  - Optional: 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees and grease loaf pan or use mini Silicone Baking Cups.

2. In a bowl beat the honey and oil with a whisk. Add both eggs and beat well. Whisk in milk/cream and mashed bananas. (If the mixture solidifies warm it near the oven or in the microwave).

3. Add vanilla, almond extract, rum, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon and whisk to blend. (At this point I use an electric hand held beater for 2min on low speed to blend, you do not have to, but I like the smoother texture).

4. Stir in the flour and chocolate chips with a big spoon until combined.

5. Bake for 55-60 minutes if using a regular loaf pan or 35-40 minutes if using mini loaf pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. DO NOT OVER BAKE. No one wants dry bread.

*This will keep for 3-4 days at room temperature or a week in the fridge. You can even freeze individually sliced bread for up to three months!