There’s nothing quite like the smell of fresh banana bread. A loaf goes in the oven, and all of a sudden, the whole family appears in the kitchen, peering into the oven and asking, “Are you making banana bread?”
The recipe we’re about to share makes a pretty special banana bread, if we do say so ourselves. It’s absolutely perfect for September, which also happens to be National Cholesterol Month.
When included in a heart-healthy diet, oats are an effective way to manage, and even lower, your cholesterol. Meeting a daily fiber goal of at least 5 to 10 grams of fiber can help lower your LDL cholesterol levels. One serving of rolled oats, (1/2 cup) contains approximately 4 grams.
Studies suggest eating two servings of oats per day can lower your cholesterol by 5.3 per cent in just six weeks, along with a low-fat diet and exercise.
While we wouldn’t recommend eating this whole loaf in one sitting, a full cup of rolled oats gives our Banana Oat Bread 8 grams of fiber and four bananas add another 12 grams. Staying on track to meet your goals has never been more delicious. Now that’s something worth celebrating with a slice of Banana Oat Bread!
Speaking of celebrating, September is also the month that the kids are (finally!) back in school. Our Banana Oat Bread is the perfect lunchbox or after-school treat.
This recipe uses significantly less sugar than many others – just ripe bananas, a little brown sugar and a touch of honey to sweeten things up. We’ve also cut out butter completely and replaced it with heart-healthy canola oil. A little yogurt in the batter helps keep the bread nice and moist.
Along with butter, another ingredient we’ve left out of our banana bread is nuts. Don’t worry, you won’t miss them; the rolled oats give this bread a great hearty texture. Plus, with no nuts, you can safely send a slice of banana bread in your child’s lunch without breaking the school’s nut-free policy.
So, whether you’re looking for a wholesome treat for the kids, a heart-healthy snack or just a yummy banana bread – this one is for you.
And maybe it can even help encourage a little extra family time as everyone swarms the kitchen looking for a slice of fresh Banana Oat Bread.
Banana Oat Bread
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups flour (375 ml)
- 1 cup rolled oats divided (250 ml)
- 1 Tbsp rolled oats extra for sprinkling, divided (15 ml)
- 1 tsp baking powder (5 ml)
- 1 tsp baking soda (5 ml)
- 1/4 tsp salt (1 ml)
- 1 tsp cinnamon (5 ml)
- 4 medium bananas very ripe
- 1/4 cup canola oil (60 ml)
- 1/4 cup honey or agave nectar (60 ml)
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar packed (30 ml)
- 1 large egg beaten
- 6 Tbsp yogurt plain or vanilla (90 ml)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (5 ml)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Line bottom and two sides of a loaf pan with parchment paper; spray with cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, mash bananas. Stir in oil, honey, brown sugar, egg, yogurt and vanilla.
- Whisk together dry ingredients (reserving 1 Tbsp oats) in a large bowl. Add banana mixture and stir until just combined.
- Pour batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle with 1 Tbsp oats.
- Bake for 50 minutes, or until bread is golden and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Allow to cool at room temperature before slicing.