Life Is Bananas Blender Banana Bread

If there is one thing I need right now more than ever it’s Life Is Bananas Blender Banana Bread! Honestly I would have said the same thing last week, last month, and pretty much for the last year. Only in this last week I’ve needed it for additional reasons, comfort.

This post has been a long time coming and the only reason I hadn’t shared it sooner as planned is because I’ve been playing and tweaking and had planned on photographing many different variations. They’ve made it to my Instagram, Stories, but the lighting and timing just didn’t work out right because I didn’t have the patience.

By patience 98% of the time I just didn’t have the patience to let it cool before cutting it and eating a slice so it never had much of a chance of being photographed. Oh and their were so many chances because I was making 5 loaves of banana bread a week on average and they didn’t last even a day in our house. To be honest Baby G and I often eat 1/2 a loaf before anyone else even gets home.

I’ve always loved banana bread as it brings back so many childhood memories. My grandma always seemed to be making it. It didn’t surprise me that the craving for it hit late in my pregnancy with Baby G and hasn’t stopped. I remember baking in just over a year ago before he was born and stocking the freezer with at least 8 loaves. Some for the family and some I had added in some added flaxseed and made with oats to help with lactation.

Little did I know then I would still be making loaves of it weekly still with oats and flaxseed a year later. I thought last week would have been a perfect time to share it with my big birthday and Baby G turning 1 but life happened and between all the changes in the world last week and plans, changed, cancelled, I was drained and was just trying to stay positive and make the best of it.

Now I’m just hoping I can acquire enough bananas and eggs to make it through this social distancing. Luckily a friend has chickens and I’m hoping things settle down here soon with online orders and grocery delivery, wishful thinking, because we were cleaning out our fridge and freezer the end of February and leading up to our birthdays to make room for cake and party food.

As I said I’ve made countless loaves of Life Is Bananas Blender Banana Bread and many variations so I will outline those in the notes. You also DO NOT NEED A BLENDER to make it. It helps when things get crazy because you can make it really quick, like crazy mom life multitasking quick! I use my Vitamix to grind the oats and one day in a hurry tried to just blend it all up and it was so quick and easy, just with over blending it sometimes didn’t bake as pretty and would fall but it still tasted just as good.

You can use a mini food processor to grind the oats, or buy oat flour. If you want more texture you can blend just half or I would recommend making my Chunky Monkey Muffins.

Have a family recipe that you just make from memory but don’t measure or follow an exact recipe? Growing up I never measured so sometimes I just go in the moment. That is where part of the options come in but it’s always good to have a base and know your limits, or a good range, so I’ve measured and tested, and re-tested. While I have been in a “plain” banana bread mood sometimes A talks me into adding chocolate, or I’m just in the mood and decide to make 2 loaves one with chocolate and a plain.

So OPTIONS!

I use a standard loaf pan 9×5, or 10″, either will work. If you want to make muffins you can do that too just bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

EGGS- You can use 4-6 large eggs. If you like popovers, have extra eggs to use, or want to pack in the protein you can go with 6. It’s a little hard to describe but it’s an dense eggy moist spongy texture. You can kind of see it here where I use quinoa flakes (another great nutrition packed option!) in my Life Changing Banana Bread.

SWEETENER- I like to use a mixture of maple syrup or honey and coconut palm sugar, personal preference and my “magic” number is 3 TBSP of each. If you want to cut down sugar you can use less, or if you like it sweeter go with 1/4c of each which I’ve also done and shared in other recipes if you like sweeter banana bread which I would say is more like grandma’s, well if yours is like mine because she added a good dose of sweetness. Recently I’ve been using maple syrup since Baby G wasn’t 1 and couldn’t have honey, when I was pregnant I liked to use local honey. If you don’t have coconut palm sugar you can sub brown sugar.

OIL/BUTTER- Again I like a combo here but that is partially due to changes in the house and reducing and cutting out coconut oil for my husband. You can use butter, coconut oil, avocado oil, canola oil, and do all of one or do a combination of. I like to do half dairy free or lactose free butter for the flavor like grandma’s and oil.

OATS- You can use 1- 1 3/4 cup of oats or oat flour. For a dense more traditional texture go with 1 1/2- 1 3/4 cup of oats.

BANANAS- I use 4 medium bananas and usually don’t measure but it comes out to about 1 1/2 cups of 365 grams (without peels). I recently weighed them in case I can build my freezer stock of bananas back up to “normal”. I use to buy bananas weekly and when they get ripe make banana bread or freeze them for smoothies. With cleaning out the freezer and recent events we don’t have a stock in the freezer but if we get their I wanted to know how much to pull out and thaw to make banana bread. You can mash them with a fork if you like to have some chunks or blend smooth.

ADDITIONS:
Ground flaxseed, I add this for added nutrition (omegas, fiber, ect) and to boost lactation (even though I’m currently trying to wean Baby G). I add 2 tablespoons.

Chocolate, when in the mood we add 1/4-1/2 cup of chocolate chips or chopped chocolate.

Nuts, if you like them you can add them! When I do I like to add about 1/4-1/3 cup.

Of course there are other options but I like to keep it simple, as crazy as that sounds, and close to classic. You can add nut butter, collagen, brewer’s yeast, or protein powder but I’ve often found it changes the texture and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. Right now I really just want my banana bread, because LIFE IS BANANAS Blender Banana Bread, and don’t want to be disappointed. Also because I’m only making 1 loaf for the whole family and as is everyone enjoys it.

Today is Monday, aka Meatless Monday. With many people home right now I hope you consider linking up Deborah and me below or sharing what you you’re making for Meatless Monday or just drop what’s happening in your kitchen below.

Thinking of all of you right now and as Chelsey so perfectly stated:
It’s ok if you don’t have it all together.
It’s ok if you’re finding comfort in food.
It’s ok if dinner has been cereal all week.
It’s ok if you’re fearful for what’s to come.
It’s ok if you don’t have any vegetables at home.
It’s ok if you’re scared to go to the store to get more.
It’s ok if social distancing is making you sad, lonely, and anxious.
It’s ok if you’re confused about “immune boosting foods.”
It’s ok if you’re not adding tons of extra supplements to your routine.
It’s ok if you’re enjoying the extra time at home with family.
It’s ok if you feel like you want to pull your hair out by the end of the day from this unexpected change.
It’s ok if nutrition is furthest from your mind.
It’s ok if you’ve worn pajamas all week and didn’t wash your hair.
It’s ok if you’re hanging on by a thread.
It’s all ok. We’ll get through it together.

Our world has been turned upside down.

So for now I’ll keep making banana bread as often as I can, getting out for daily walks with the family (as weather permits), and trying to find the positive in every day.

I know things will be changing over here in our kitchen and if you are looking for inspiration or help with what’s in yours drop me a note below or send me a message. If you’re home and have flour it might be a great time to try making sourdough if that’s been on your list. If you do and have questions please message me here, on Instagram, or Facebook.

Print Recipe

Life Is Bananas Blender Banana Bread

Life Is Bananas Blender Banana Bread, because when life gets crazy you want and need comfort food more than ever to help power through the day. Simply sweet moist banana bread, made quick in a blender if life is really crazy, that's healthy, gluten free, dairy free, high in protein, and packed with nutrition!

Course

Breakfast, Snacks

Prep Time

10 minutes

Cook Time

50 minutes

Servings

standard loaf (9x5, 10x4)

Ingredients

Life Is Bananas Blender Banana Bread (see post above for options/variations)

• 4 large eggs, room temp
• 3 TBSP honey, or pure maple syrup
• 3 TBSP coconut palm sugar
• 1/4 c avocado oil, coconut oil, and/ or butter (I like to do 50:50 dairy free butter and avocado oil)
• 1 tsp cinnamon, optional
• 1 1/2 c oats, gluten free if desired
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 1/2 c mashed ripe bananas, about 4 medium bananas (365g)
• 2 TBSP ground flaxseed, optional

Optional Additions (not added to pictured loaf)

• 1/4-1/2 c chocolate chips, chopped chocolate
• 1/4-1/3 c chopped nuts

Course Breakfast, Snacks Prep Time 10 minutes Cook Time 50 minutes Servings standard loaf (9x5, 10x4) Ingredients Life Is Bananas Blender Banana Bread (see post above for options/variations) 4 large eggs, room temp 3 TBSP honey, or pure maple syrup 3 TBSP coconut palm sugar 1/4 c avocado oil, coconut oil, and/ or butter (I like to do 50:50 dairy free butter and avocado oil) 1 tsp cinnamon, optional 1 1/2 c oats, gluten free if desired 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp sea salt 1 1/2 c mashed ripe bananas, about 4 medium bananas (365g) 2 TBSP ground flaxseed, optional Optional Additions (not added to pictured loaf) 1/4-1/2 c chocolate chips, chopped chocolate 1/4-1/3 c chopped nuts

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Spray a loaf pan with non stick spray (I like coconut oil) and line with parchment paper (optional).
3. Using a food processor, I used a mini one, or Vitamix grind oats to a flour texture.
4. In a medium bowl combine ground oats, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
5. In a large bowl combine eggs, honey/maple syrup, palm sugar, and coconut oil/butter blend with a hand mixer or whisk.
6. Mash bananas and add them into the wet ingredients.
7. Add the dry ingredients into the wet and mix until just combine.
8. Using a spatula fold in chocolate, nuts, or any additions.
9. Pour into prepared pan.
10. Bake for 45-60 minutes or until set and toothpick comes out clean.
11. Let cool slightly, IF YOU CAN, before removing from pan and cooling completely on a wire rack.
12. Enjoy!

TO MAKE IN A BLENDER

1. Grind oats to a flour texture in a Vitamix, or high-speed blender.
2. Add cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and optional flaxseed to the blender and pulse to combine.
3. Add bananas, eggs, honey/maple syrup, palm sugar, and coconut oil/butter to the blender and blend until just combine.
4. Stir in chocolate and or nuts before pouring into prepared pan.
5. Bake as instructed above.

Like it, PIN it for later!