Recipe Makeover: Healthy Banana Bread

As a mother of two little kids, I am always trying to find a way to incorporate as many healthy vitamin packed ingredients into simple dishes.  Let's face it, kids are picky (and if yours aren't I hate you) and while trying to make things healthier, I end up making them lower in fat and calories for me too. Bonus!  I had a bunch of bananas on their last day and decided to make bread instead of throwing them out.  Typically, banana bread isn't too horrible ingredient wise but I like to counter balance the sugar and oil with some healthier enhancements.  This is adapted from a Banana Bread recipe I received at my wedding shower 11 years ago.  Here's my hippie organic enhanced version:

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Organic Whole Wheat Flour (organic optional)
• ½ Cup Organic White All Purpose Flour
• ½ Cup Organic Flaxseed meal
• 1 ½ Tsp Baking Powder
• ¼ Tsp Baking Soda
• 1 Tsp Cinnamon*
• Pinch of Nutmeg
• Pinch of Salt
• ¾ Cups Sugar
• 1-1½ Cups Mashed Banana
• 1 Egg
• ¼ Cup Vegetable Oil (You can use Olive Oil if you want.  You need the oil in this to counter balance the dryness since we added flaxseed)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a glass loaf pan with cooking spray.  Mix all the dry ingredients (except the sugar) in a bowl and set aside.  In a separate bowl, mush up bananas with your hands.  The perfect bananas for this are the kind that are starting to turn brown but aren't completely brown.  Mix together the oil, egg, bananas and sugar until blended well.  It should look lumpy from the mushed bananas.  Add wet mixture to the dry mixture and fold until incorporated.  Be careful not to over work it or your bread will get gummy and tough.

Pour into baking dish and bake for roughly 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center.  Let cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.  Tastes great with a little Smart Balance butter or just as is.  My kids devoured it plain and had no complaints.

*I use all organic spices as well but obviously, use what you have.  It doesn't affect the recipe outcome either way.

WW POINTS®: 5 pts per slice if divided into 8 servings.