If you’ve ever wondered why this blog is called S is for Scrappy, I’d love to help you out. Well, S is first and foremost for Sarah. But my scrappiness is something very inherent to everything I do.
Some would make a nice banana bread as a kind gift, maybe when hosting others, or as fuel for a blog post they’ve had planned out.
Scrappy is whipping up banana bread because your boyfriend brought it to your attention that if you lose the cap for the maple syrup, you can’t just put it back in the fridge capless, like an animal.
This bread and post was also inspired by 3 VERY ripe bananas patiently waiting to be used. Even though I negotiated with myself that if I bought bananas they couldn’t go brown and be banished to the freezer with a rebrand of “smoothie bananas.” Scrappy.
So, I thought to myself, what can I make that uses bananas and maple syrup that won’t be sugar central. The healthy banana bread searches began.
Seeing as I am no Betty Crocker, I looked to Cookie and Kate to make sure the end result would be in a bread formation of some kind. With some changes, here’s what I was working with:
INGREDIENTS
- ⅓ cup melted coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup maple syrup (honey can be used)
- 2 eggs
- 3 ripe bananas mashed, I left mine kind of chunky for a different taste/texture
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon, plus more to swirl on top
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon maca powder (optional)
- 1 ¾ cups whole wheat pastry flour (or regular whole wheat flour)
- ¼ cup almond milk (I use unsweetened vanilla, but milk of any kind will do)
- 1 cup chopped pecans- option for any other mix in
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (165 degrees Celsius) and grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan.
- In a large bowl, beat oil and syrup together. Add eggs and beat well.
- Stir in bananas and milk. Then stir in the baking soda, vanilla, salt, maca, and cinnamon.
- Switch to a big spoon and stir in the flour, just until combined. If you’re adding pecans or any mix-ins, gently fold them in now.
- Pour the batter into your greased loaf pan and sprinkle lightly with cinnamon. Run the tip of a knife across the batter in a zig-zag pattern for a fun marble effect.
- Bake for 55 to 60 minutes. If you check with a knife, it should come out clean, but my chunky banana approach made that a bit tentative. Let the bread cool in the loaf pan for at least 5 minutes.
While I am not committing to Whole 30 or any specific challenges this January, I am striving to be very conscious of my sugar intake. It’s amazing what a downward spiral having any traditional desserts (even in moderation) can be for me in sugar cravings.
With the sweetness of the bananas and pure maple syrup, I’m really not sure why anyone bakes with normal sugar. This was so satisfying in every way! I loved the maple flavor and bites of banana chunks, but that approach did make it more crumbly if that’s a concern of yours.
Moral of the store, if I can bake this, so can you. Looking forward to having this as a guilt-free snack, dessert, or something to bring to the yoga studio for when I am teaching multiple classes and need some sustenance.
Enjoy!
S is for Scrappy 
Enjoyed your post Miss S,
Banana bread is absolutely delicious, and you’re right – makes a great gift! Yours looks wonderful. I’ve got to try this recipe some day.