Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread

Having some overripe bananas in your kitchen is a great "excuse" to make this healthy, vegan, banana bread. This recipe is equal parts nutritious and delicious, especially for summer. Bananas are high in potassium and with increased sweating comes an increased need for electrolyte replenishment. Eating bananas (in whatever healthy form appeals to you) is one way to achieve this! I consider this a "treat" to be eaten in moderation, but it's a healthy one which is a plus. If you're on a gluten-free diet, feel free to substitute the whole wheat flour for gluten-free flour or almond meal. Also, keep in mind, when using coconut oil in a recipe like this (and in brownies or bar-shaped baked goods), you may want to eat this heated up since coconut oil is solid at room temperature and will harden after cooling.

Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread (vegan)

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups whole wheat flour (or another whole-grain, or nut-based flour)
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1.5 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3 overripe bananas (the bananas I used were completely brown)
• ½ to ¾ cup coconut oil (I used about ¾ cup. My final product was super moist, but coconut oil is high in calories, so you can adjust this based on your preferences and it's not going to have a huge effect on the taste).
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 16 oz. dark chocolate chunks (or chips).

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit
• In a large bowl, mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, and sugar together
• In a smaller bowl, mash bananas
• Melt the coconut oil in the microwave (in a microwave safe dish) for a minute (it will harden quickly if it's cooled, so do this step shortly before adding to the rest of the ingredients)
• Add the applesauce, vanilla extract, and melted coconut oil to the dry ingredients in the larger bowl
• Add the mashed bananas to the large bowl
• Add in chocolate chips and cinnamon
• Stir together until well-mixed
• Grease a baking tin or pan (I used a Farberware 9" square baking pan)
• Add the ingredients to the pan and heat for 25-30 minutes (or until a toothpick is inserted and comes out clean)
• Allow to cool for a bit, cut, and enjoy!

 

-Jess