Baking... delicious AND figure-friendly!

Once in a while, I get the urge to bake!  If you had a chance to peruse my recipe binder, you would not find many recipes in the dessert section.  To be quite honest, my passion does not lie in baking desserts, although I am always game for eating the finished products :-) I definitely am not a "sweet genius," and would fail miserably if I had to partake in any sort of cupcake baking competition.  I do, however, have a knack for baking breakfast treats, specifically delicious muffins and breads.

Today, the itch to bake struck in the early afternoon.  This was mostly likely because I have been contemplating what to do with the many bananas that have been frozen in my freezer for a few weeks now.

One thing I do enjoy is taking a recipe, or several recipes, I find online and tweaking them to suit my personal preferences.  Unlike most baked goods, I tend to make those that are on the healthier side.  I typically make some pretty simple substitutions to achieve the figure-friendly versions of common breakfast items.  For example, I always swap out white flour in favor of whole wheat flour, use brown sugar instead of white sugar, and add unsweetened applesauce in place of oil.  I find that whole wheat flour tends to result in a denser muffin or bread, and therefore should be used in smaller quantities so that the end result is not a dense and chewy brick-like consistency.

So, if you are looking for a delicious Banana Bread recipe that tastes good and is also really good for you, this may be the one for you:

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Figure-Friendly Banana Bread


Ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 cup mashed ripe banana
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1/4 - 1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease a large loaf pan.

In a large bowl: combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, (and walnuts and/or chocolate chips if using them)

In a food processor: cream together the applesauce and brown sugar.  Add in the egg, mashed banana, and vanilla and mix until smooth.

Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moist.

Pour the prepared batter into the loaf pan.  Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes.  Remove when the top of the bread is golden brown and the edges are starting to pull away from the sides of the pan.  A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.

Let the bread cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

Note:  If you want to bake Banana Bread Muffins, grease the muffin pan and fill each cup almost to the top with batter.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

My Banana Bread without walnuts and chocolate chips. It smells delicious even before removing it from the pan!

Enjoy this for breakfast or try adding the chocolate chips and eating it for dessert!