Ahhh the weekend is here. I’ve been craving it like chocolate.
Now it’s unusual for me to bring you a recipe on a Friday, but I just had to share this epic banana bread with you.
Strawberries + Coconut + Chia Seeds. Have you ever heard of such a lovely combination?It’s like a cozy little slice of heaven.
Speaking of things that need to be shared: I have some exciting news to tell you… but I have to hold off a bit (sorry!). Ugh keeping secrets is pretty difficult for me too! Look for a fun announcement very, very soon!
Anyway this banana bread is something I can share. In fact, it’spretty major — beautiful even! And guess what? It’s also full of healthy ingredients that most certainly deserve a little special attention.
Shall we get to it?
Coconut: Coconut oil, coconut flakes, and toasted coconut. If you love coconut, this bread is for you!
Strawberries: Strawberry season is upon us. I suggest opting for organic strawberries; they’ll have more flavor!
Greek yogurt:It’s unbelievable what you can do with greek yogurt. The bread stays moist and packs a protein punch.
Minimal sugar: If you use extra ripe bananas, you eliminate the need to use extra sugar. With all the flavors going on in this banana bread, there isn’t any need for much. I also used dark brown sugar, as it has a more prominent flavor.
Chia seeds: The new love of my life. Wait, I think I say that about everything? Anyway, chia seeds add extra fiber, omega-3s, and a delicious crunch to this bread. It reminds me a little bit of poppyseed bread.
This banana bread is easy to make, and even easier to eat. Why? Each slice clocks in at about 160 calories, nearly 4g of protein and 3g of fiber. Yes, snack time just got better.
I love to have my bread toasted (or slightly warm) with a sliver of almond butter and low-sugar strawberry jam. Of course, you’re free to top yours however you’d like.
Have a great weekend!
More healthy bread recipes to try:
Healthy Chai Banana Bread with Salted Cashew Butter Vanilla Glaze
My Favorite Healthy Banana Bread Recipe
Healthier Carrot Cake Banana Bread with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
Healthy Honey Flax Tahini Banana Bread
Paleo Lemon Blueberry Bread
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Strawberry Coconut Chia Seed Banana Bread
4.67 from 6 votes
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Prep Time 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time 1 hour hour
Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes
ServesServes 12 slices
A healthy chia seed banana bread made extra lovely with strawberries and coconut. Greek yogurt gives it a boost of protein and plenty of moisture. Enjoy it as a deliciously cozy breakfast or snack!
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cup all purpose flour*
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup ripe mashed banana (about 2-3 bananas)
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted and cooled
- 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar or coconut sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup nonfat plain greek yogurt (I used Chobani)
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk (soy, coconut, or skim also work)
- 3/4 cup diced organic ripe strawberries
- 1/4 cup smashed organic raspberries (or you can use more strawberries)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut, plus 3 tablespoons for topping (sweetened is fine, too)
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 2-4 strawberries, sliced for topping
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease 9-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. (I love Trader Joe's Coconut Oil spray.)
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
In a separate large bowl, beat together banana, brown sugar, egg, coconut oil, vanilla, yogurt, and almond milk until smooth and creamy.
Slowly add dry mixture to wet ingredients, and mix until combined. Gently fold strawberries, raspberries, coconut and chia seeds into the batter.
Place batter in prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle top evenly with 3 tablespoons of coconut. Place sliced strawberries over the top of the bread. B
Bake for 50-65 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 20 minutes, then remove from pan and return to wire rack to finish cooling. Bread is even better the next day (they always are), and will stay fresh for a few days when wrapped tightly.
Recipe Notes
Banana bread will stay fresh at room temperature, make sure to wrap well.
I love this bread with strawberry jam and peanut butter.
*You can use whole wheat flour if you'd like. I like to use white whole wheat or whole wheat pastry flour, or a half and half mixture. I would also add a bit more almond milk or coconut oil to the batter if you choose this flour.
Nutrition
Serving: 1sliceCalories: 157calCarbohydrates: 27.5gProtein: 3.8gFat: 3.8gFiber: 2.5gSugar: 9.7g
