And we’re back baby, with what might be my favorite banana bread to date. You all know I’m obsessed with making easy, healthy banana bread, whether it’s Birthday Cake Batter, Salted Cookie Dough, or Peanut Butter Cup flavored. So much dough!! Clearly, I have an obsession, but somehow, I’d never translated that into healthy Brownie Batter Banana Bread.
No longer. This healthy Brownie Batter Banana Bread is rich, and fudgy, and taste just like brownie batter and banana bread had a baby. It has a ton of raw cacao in it, which acts almost in the roll of a flour, and adds a ton of polyphenols and health benefits (I interviewed Dave Asprey, a biohacker and the person who invented the Bulletproof diet, once, and he cited raw cacao and, interestingly, vanilla, as two of the foods he thought most contributed to overall longevity. As if we needed more excuses to pack our diet with chocolate!).
The other superstar in here are the studs of walnuts. Nuts are consistently cited by experts as one of the world’s healthiest foods, and walnuts in particular are one of the best types for your heart health. Walnuts decrease the risk of heart disease by helping maintain healthy cholesterol levels and decreasing blood pressure.
Plus, all of those walnuts help make the banana bread more satiating and really give it that healthy brownie batter vibe!
Healthy Brownie Batter Banana Bread (Grain Free, Paleo, Protein-Packed)
Ingredients
- 2 bananas (1 very ripe, and one less so)
- 3 eggs, preferably pastured
- 1 cup unsalted creamy almond butter
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon fine grain sea salt
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- ¾ cup raw cacao
- ¾ cup chopped walnuts
- ¾ cup chopped dark chocolate
- Flaky sea salt, optional (but delicious!)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 9″ x 5″ loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving some to overhang the sides.
- Mash the riper of the two bananas in a large bowl, leaving a few chunks.
- Beat the eggs and almond butter into the banana mixture.
- Add the vanilla, baking soda, sea salt, coconut sugar, and raw cacao, and stir until well combined.
- Stir in the chopped chocolate and chopped walnuts, leaving a small handful of both out to sprinkle over the top of the bread.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Slice the reserved banana in half lengthwise, and lay on top of the uncooked bread. Sprinkle the top of the bread with reserved chocolate chunks, walnuts, and flaky sea salt, if using.
- Bake for 50 – 60 minutes, or until a toothpick in the center comes out completely clean. Allow to cool for at least 20 minutes in the pan before removing. Store for up to 4 days in the fridge, or slice and keep in the freezer for up to 6 months, toasting a slice at a time when you’re ready to eat!
