100% Whole Grain Banana Bread

This 100% whole grain banana bread is deliciously tender and moist. It’s great for snacking or a light breakfast.

Everyone loves banana bread, right? I mean it’s a super moist and rich tasting bread, perfect for snacking and of course as a quick breakfast. What I bring to you today is a banana bread that is truly healthy and one that you can feel really good about eating for breakfast……everyday……until it’s gone…..which wasn’t long in my house! And don’t worry, this recipe does not sacrifice flavor or texture and believe me, I have some tough critics in this house and if it wasn’t truly delicious, I would still have lots of banana bread sitting around, which I don’t.

So what makes this banana bread so healthy? Well it starts with using only whole grains, I use a combination of white whole grain flour and oatmeal, which I grind up until it’s very fine. Instead of using butter, I use grapeseed oil and finally, I keep the sugar to a minimum. Bananas are so sweet that you really don’t need a lot of sugar and you really don’t miss the reduction.

The result is moist and delicious, so much so, that my daughter Kelly told me that I should make this one all the time. I guess I need to make sure I always have ripe bananas on hand! Which, by the way, is easy to do if you just throw those last overly ripe bananas in the freezer instead of throwing them out. That way, whenever you feel like making banana bread, you can just go to the freezer and defrost what you need.

100% Whole Grain Banana Bread

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup grapeseed oil
4 eggs
5 very ripe bananas, mashed
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups white whole grain flour
1 1/2 cups quick cooking oatmeal
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a food processor or blender, process the oatmeal until it is finely ground. Combine oatmeal in a bowl with the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

Beat together sugar and oil, until well combined.

Beat in eggs, one at a time.

Beat in bananas and vanilla.

Carefully beat in flour mixture, 1/2 at a time, until well combined.

Divide batter between two loaf pans that have been oiled and floured.

Bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees. Reduce heat to 350 and continue baking for another 25-30 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and continue cooling on a rack.