So, you’ve decided to bake a quick banana bread as a healthy snack for the family. Just grab some flour, sugar, eggs, ripe bananas, oil, baking soda and spices and you’re ready to go, right? Not so fast. From a nutrition perspective, baking even the humble banana bread entails choices that affect the healthfulness of the final product. Using higher-quality ingredients will result in a quick bread or cake that is more nutritious and easier to digest.
It’s a wonderful feeling to know that each food you’re ingesting – each ingredient you’re using – is having a positive effect on your physical and mental health. This is the concept of “functional foods” – a philosophy of eating that focuses on the therapeutic effects that specific foods have on the body and mind. (More on that in a future article.)
In this article and the next, I’ll explore the ingredients you’ll encounter in preparing quick breads using fruits or vegetables like bananas, zucchini, carrots, pumpkin, or apples. My goal is to show you how you can make healthier choices. At the end, I offer recipes for four versions of banana bread, all of which can be made with these high-quality ingredients.
The good news is that you don’t have to sacrifice taste or scrumptiousness. (We’ll ignore the fact that my family does sometimes grumble, only half joking, about how I take all the fun out of eating! They love to repeat the story of how I used to make everyone share one serving of a decadent chocolate mud pie that was on the dessert menu of a local kosher restaurant. Even the waiter gave us an odd look.)
Whole Grain or Refined?
When baking, the initial decision is, obviously, what flour to use. There are more choices than you would think.
The first choice is whether it will be whole grain or refined. Do you know that when flour is refined (turned into white flour), up to 22 nutrients are lost? A whole grain in its natural state comprises the entire seed of the plant. The three parts of each seed – or kernel, as it is commonly called – are the bran, the germ, and the endosperm.
The bran is the multi-layered outer skin of the seed, which is tough enough to protect the inner layers. Besides supplying B vitamins and zinc, the bran is a top source of two kinds of fiber, both soluble and insoluble. Milling or refining the flour to make white flour removes this bran and its benefits from the finished product.
Another component of the grain that is removed in the refining process is the germ, considered highly nutritious and chock full of enzymes, as well as some protein, minerals, and healthy fats.
The only part that is left is the endosperm, the largest part of the seed, which is ground into the familiar white flour. The endosperm is composed of starchy carbohydrates and some protein. Even when the refined flour is enriched, it does not come even close to the nutrient profile of the whole grain. So, my first suggestion for people wanting to improve the quality of their baked goods is to use whole grain flour, such as whole wheat pastry flour, whole spelt flour, or Kamut flour.
Spelt is an ancient grain that is hardier and more nutritious than its close relative, modern wheat. Although spelt, like wheat, contains gluten, it is sometimes easier to digest because of its high water solubility, which makes its nutrients more bio-available to the body. Spelt is also unique in being the only grain that contains a special class of carbohydrates called mucopolysaccarides, which may influence the immune system and help lower cholesterol.
Kamut, another type of wheat, is also an option for some because of its higher amounts of protein and some minerals, notably selenium, zinc, and magnesium. Some preliminary research on Kamut’s superior digestibility is in progress, as reported on the website kamut.com.
Although the rich flavor of quick breads often makes the presence of whole grain flour unnoticeable, if it is still daunting for your family to eat whole grain, use part whole grain and part unbleached white flour, which is available as wheat or spelt.
Sprouted or Non-sprouted?
The second choice regarding the grain is whether it will be sprouted or non-sprouted. In recent years, several companies have tried to increase the digestibility of grains by developing a commercial sprouting process. According to the essentialeating.com website, “Sprouting a grain actually changes its composition from a starch to a vegetable. When whole grains are sprouted, they are converted into a more nutritious and digestible food. As the grain sprouts, it turns into a plant, and the body recognizes it as a vegetable. Vegetables are easier to digest because they are broken down by enzymes.”
Chana Lazaroff, a wonderful lady in our community who runs a program to help children and teens with developmental disabilities at a nearby farm, offers classes in producing sprouted grains. She also makes the flour available for purchase by request. You can contact her at 410-764-8360.
A third choice is whether to bake with gluten vs. gluten-free flour. Some people need to avoid gluten-containing flours because of celiac disease or a gluten allergy or intolerance. If that is the case for you or a family member, now has never been a better time for those needing to eat gluten-free. Many national companies offer gluten-free flour blends with a proper hechsher. (Please consult your halachic authority for acceptability.)
With any whole grain flour, make sure to wrap it tightly and keep it refrigerated or frozen until use to protect the germ and prevent rancidity.
Next month I will discuss sweetener options in more depth and touch on the other components of a quick bread. And now, here are the recipes.
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Basic Banana Bread
This recipe is adapted from the $5 Dinner Mom Cookbook. Notice that it calls for “natural sugar.” If you have only regular white sugar on hand, go ahead and use that, knowing that this recipe calls for far less sugar than most standard cake recipes. If you or your family is used to very sweet desserts, you may want to increase the sugar in this recipe to 3/4 cup.
2 medium ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 c.)
1/2 c. natural sugar (Sucanat, Florida Crystals or coconut sugar)
1 c. unsweetened applesauce
2 c. whole wheat pastry or whole spelt or Kamut flour (regular or sprouted). Or you can substitute white flour (unbleached) for 1 cup whole grain flour.
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Oil a 9×5-inch loaf pan. In a large mixing bowl, hand mix the mashed banana, sugar, applesauce, and eggs until creamy. (You can also use a mixer or even a blender.) Combine flour, baking soda, and salt, and mix. Add to liquid ingredients and mix until a batter forms. Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the bread from the oven and place on a cooling rack.
Fancy Banana Bread
The rice flour in this recipe gives the finished product a cake-like texture with a moister consistency. I have adapted it from one I found on the website yummly.com.
1 c. brown rice flour
1 c. whole spelt flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. sugar (preferably Sucanat or Florida Crystals)
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. allspice (optional)
2 T. mild-tasting oil such as grapeseed or regular olive oil or natural shortening such as palm oil or melted coconut oil
1/4 c. unsweetened applesauce
1/4 c. milk (rice, almond, or coconut)
4 medium bananas (about 2 c.) mashed by hand or pureed in blender for a few seconds or 16 oz. baby food bananas
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. vanilla
Preheat oven to 355 degrees. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan. Mix dry ingredients (flours, baking soda, salt, sugar, and spices). Mix wet ingredients. Put wet ingredients into dry. Mix by hand. Batter will be thick but completely blend it nevertheless. Bake for about 45 minutes. Test for doneness with a toothpick into the center of the loaf that comes out clean.
Hearty Banana Bread
The addition of oat bran not only makes the texture heartier and somewhat courser, but boosts the fiber content from good to great. This recipe was also adapted from one on the yummly.com website.
3 large or 4 medium bananas (about 2 c.) mashed or 16 oz. banana baby food
1 T. lemon juice
1/4 c. mild tasting oil such as grapeseed or regular olive oil
1/4 c. unsweetened applesauce
1/2 c. sugar (Sucanat or Florida Crystals)
11/2 c. whole spelt flour or substitute whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 c. oat bran
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 c. walnuts (optional)
1/2 c. raisins (optional)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a small bowl, mash the bananas and add lemon juice, oil, applesauce, and sugar. In a larger bowl, stir together the flour, oat bran, sea salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Add the wet mixture to the dry, mixing gently until smooth. (It will have a course texture because of the oat bran.) Spoon into a lightly oiled 9×5-inch loaf pan and bake for 40 to 50 minutes until done, when a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Note: The three recipes above could probably be adapted for a gluten-free version. Just substitute the same amount of a gluten-free flour blend for the flour listed in the individual recipes.
Vegan Banana Bread
The term “vegan” means the recipe does not contain eggs or dairy. I have also modified this version for those who want to make a gluten- free loaf. Adapted from a cute cookbook called Vegan Vittles, I have made this banana bread with all types of flour throughout the years, most recently with sprouted spelt flour or a gluten-free all purpose flour.
2 c. flour (either whole wheat pastry flour or half white and half whole wheat or whole spelt or a gluten-free flour mix such as Namaste Foods Perfect Flour Blend or King Arthur Flour gluten-free multi-purpose flour)
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
3 to 4 medium bananas (about 1-1/2 cups)
6 T. apple juice concentrate or honey or natural sugar
2 to 4 T. light-tasting oil, such as grapeseed oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/3 c. chopped walnuts (optional)
1/3 c. raisins or currants (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and oil a 9×5-inch loaf pan. Place the flour, baking powder, and baking soda in a large mixing bowl and stir together. In a medium mixing bowl, place the mashed banana, sweetener, oil, and vanilla, and stir until combined. You can also whirl them in a mixer or blender. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir to form a very thick batter. Stir in the walnuts and raisins, if desired. Bake for about 50 minutes or until a toothpick tests clean. Cool on a rack before slicing.
