How do I make this healthier?

CoryIda

I love to bake and my dairy-free banana bread recipe is soooo yummy but it has a lot of oil and sugar, so it's not exactly healthy. I know I can use Splenda instead of sugar, but what do I do about the oil? How do I make it healthy AND delicious?

INGREDIENTS:
1 3/4 cups flour (or rice flour, for a gluten free version)
3/4 cup sugar or splenda
1/2 cup vegetable/canola oil
2 over-ripe bananas
2 eggs
2 tablespoons almond milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
A pinch of salt
cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves (no exact amounts, just put some in - a big pinch or two of cinnamon, a pinch of nutmeg, a tiny bit of cloves)
*optional topping - crushed almonds, cinnamon sugar/splenda

ambercole

wheat flour instead of white flour, egg beaters instead of whole eggs, and applesauce or canned pumpkin instead of the oil.

BOGmama2010

You can substitute applesauce. I wouldn't get rid of all the oil though.

elainecroft

I second the applesauce or pumpkin - they both bake up splendidly. In a pinch you could just add an extra banana or two, but that changes the texture when you bake it so it depends on what you like.

sarahwright01

i agree with the apple sauce, but you could also try apple butter....much more rich flavor!

Also remember, that when you remove the oil/butter you are removing what helps to keep the bread from sticking. So make sure you really grease your pan. i would ALSO turn the oven temp down by about 25 degrees. The oils helps the ingredients cook at the higher temps, but with out them the flours have more of a chance at burning and drying out. Lower the temp by 25 degrees. Then check your bread at your normal cooking length. You may have to add on an additional 15 or so minutes, BUT it will be SO worth it!

chambermuzic

I know in a lot of recipes for cakes and things you can actually use applesauce instead of oil and things stay moist. Maybe try that out?

Chrissun

If you don't want to use splenda cut the sugar to 1/2 C and another option, other than applesauce or pumpkin (both great ideas), is yogurt plain or vanilla. I've also used strawberry yogurt in my banana bread.

thebestweebles

Applesauce instead of oil!

Or, if you feel like it, try experimenting with fruit baby food. It sounds weird, but if you use baby food, such as prunes or pears or what have you (or amp up the banana flavor with apple-banana or something) you can add more fiber/nutrition to the recipe. And since it's so finely blended you won't even taste a difference.

CoryIda

Thanks for all of the ideas!

I am making banana bread this weekend and will probably try substituting 1/2 of the sugar and 1/2 of the oil for splenda and applesauce, although I love the idea of using baby food - it had never even occured to me, but I bet it would work really well - especially if I try the apple-banana mix or just apple. I will get some next time I go shopping.

I can't substitute with yogurt because I have a severe intolerance to all milk products (whether they have lactose or not), but I can definitely see how it might work and would probably keep things really moist.

I have used whole wheat flour in the past but the bread came out too heavy. I might just add some flax seed for added fiber.

Hmmmm... lots to think about. I'll let you know what I end up doing and how it turns out! Thank you!

thebestweebles

If you want to use whole wheat flour, only substitute part of the flour needed for whole wheat.... otherwise like you said it'll turn out heavy. But if you only use half whole wheat and half regular, it kinda evens it out

I did a senior project in high school about making recipes better, and whole wheat flour is notorious for making everything too chewy if you're substituting the flours I think it has more gluten than regular white flour

CoryIda

I substituted Splenda Sugar Blend for the sugar (only use 6 Tbs), a jar of baby food applesauce for the oil, and added a teaspoon of flax seed. The nutritional difference?

Original version (per serving):
CALORIES - 227
CARBS - 31
FAT: 11 grams
FIBER: 1 gram
PROTEIN: 3 grams

Healthy version:
CALORIES - 147
CARBS - 27
FAT: 2 grams
FIBER: 2 gram
PROTEIN: 4 grams

Success! Woo hoo!

cardbucfan

But did it taste as good????

brityn

I would use plain fat free yogurt instead of the oil, and splenda for baking instead of sugar. The yogurt will help keep it moist, but make sure you really "pam" your baking dish so it doesn't stick!

CoryIda

It tasted GREAT - just as good as my regular kind and it was so much healthier.
It was moist, flavorful and delicious. The only thing I would do different next time is probably to use a little LESS of the Splenda Sugar Blend - it was perhaps a little bit too sweet, probably because the applesauce also added a little sweetness.