Skinny Banana Bread Recipe with Blueberries

You would never guess that this Skinny Banana Bread with Blueberries has a fraction of the calories and fat of a traditional banana bread recipe. Tender with a ton of flavor! 139 calories and 3 Weight Watchers SP

A slice or two of skinny banana bread, packed with blueberries, is all I need to brighten up my afternoon latte break. I've decided that I need to a keep a loaf of this or Peanut Butter Banana Bread on hand at all times!

Traditional banana bread recipes use oil and/or butter, but this banana bread with applesauce and half the sugar does away with all of that.

And I promise that you'll never miss the extra fat or sugar - this bread has a ton of moisture from the bananas and blueberries, and just the right amount of sweetness.

WHAT YOU NEED FOR THIS SKINNY BANANA BREAD RECIPE:

These are the main components need for this recipe (affiliate links included)…

• Bananas: Ripe (and starting to spot) bananas are perfect for banana bread. They're extra sweet and are easy to mash with the back of a fork. You'll need three medium bananas (1 cup mashed) for the batter and half a banana to decorate the top of the bread.
• Blueberries: Either fresh or frozen blueberries are good options. Incorporate one cup into the batter and set aside the rest of the blueberries to arrange on top of the batter for decoration.
• Whole wheat pastry flour: Whole wheat pastry flour produces a much more tender product than regular whole wheat flour. It can be purchased in many well-stocked grocery stores and online. All-purpose flour can be used in place of the ww pastry flour.
• Applesauce: Unsweetened applesauce can be used in place of oil, which significantly reduces the fat grams.
• Spices: Ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg add just the right amount of spice. If you don't have nutmeg, use cinnamon exclusively or a mixture of cinnamon and ground ginger.
• Sweetener: Either coconut palm sugar or brown sugar can be used. Lightly pack into the measuring cup.

How do I know when my banana bread is done?

To tell when banana bread is cooked through, insert a toothpick or wooden skewer into the center of the banana bread. If it comes out clean (i.e., no batter attached to the toothpick), the bread is done.

Since this banana bread has a strip of blueberries down the center of the bread, I suggest inserting the toothpick or skewer slightly to the side of the blueberries.

Does banana bread need to be refrigerated?

The short answer is no. Banana bread can be left out on the counter for up to 4 days. Once cooled, store it in an airtight container or place it on a plate and cover tightly with plastic wrap to stop the bread from drying out.

I am partial to chilled quick breads, so I like to store this healthy blueberry banana bread in the fridge. After the bread cools, wrap it well in plastic wrap and foil, or store in an airtight container. It should stay fresh for up to 7 days.

Can you freeze banana bread?

Yes! The primary goal is to ensure that the banana bread doesn't get freezer burn. I like to go with a triple layer of protection. Once the bread is cooled, wrap it in plastic wrap and foil, then place it in a resealable plastic freezer bag.

To defrost, place the banana bread on the counter. It should defrost in 4 to 5 hours.

Other healthy banana recipes:

Healthy Coffee Banana Smoothie {Cookin' Canuck}
Whole Wheat Banana Nut Muffins {Cookin' Canuck}
Strawberry Banana Soymilk Smoothie {Healthy Happy Life}
Skinny Salted Caramel Banana Pudding {Chelsweets}

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Skinny Banana Bread with Blueberries

You would never guess that this Skinny Banana Bread with Blueberries has a fraction of the calories and fat of a traditional banana bread recipe. Tender with a ton of flavor! 139 calories and 3 Weight Watchers SP

4.86 from 7 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Breads

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Banana Bread, Skinny Banana Bread

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 12 Slices

Calories: 139.2kcal

Author: Dara Michalski | Cookin' Canuck

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Ingredients

• 3 ½ ripe bananas divided
• ½ cup coconut palm sugar or brown sugar lightly packed
• ⅓ cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 egg whisked
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 ¼ cups fresh or frozen blueberries divided

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.
• In a large bowl, mash 3 bananas with the back of a fork (should equal 1 cup mashed). Add the coconut palm sugar (or brown sugar), applesauce, egg and vanilla. Stir to combine.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the whole wheat pastry flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
• Stir the flour mixture into the banana mixture until combined. Stir in 1 cup blueberries.
• Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread evenly with a rubber spatula. Tap the pan sharply two times on the counter to even out the batter.
• Arrange the remaining ¼ cup blueberries down the center of the batter. Thinly slice the remaining ½ banana and arrange the slices on top of the batter in desired pattern.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center (don’t insert through blueberries) comes out clean, approximately 1 hour. Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove the pan and cool completely. Serve or cover and refrigerate.

Notes

Weight Watchers Points: 3 (Blue - Freestyle SmartPoints), 3 (Green), 3 (Purple)

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 139.2kcal | Carbohydrates: 34.8g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 15.5mg | Sodium: 253.6mg | Fiber: 3.5g | Sugar: 15.3g

Tried this recipe?If you make this recipe, I'd love to see it on Instagram! Just use the hashtag #COOKINCANUCK and I'll be sure to find it.

Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.