Be it quick breads, yeasted waffles, cheeseless lasagna, three-ingredient cookies… I love experimenting with different foods and flavors. But when it comes down to the basics, everyone needs some classics. *Spotlight: banana bread. To make it to my archives though, the recipe has to be health-conscious. Let me clarify. I have nothing against full butter or sugar— as long as it’s necessary. But most of the time, I end up with a bleh or buzzed after feeling hence my health-conscious matata.

Health-conscious baking can be tricky though. I’ve experimented making the extremes (sugar-less and oil-less) and other less extreme versions, but have been unsatisfied by that ubiquitous gummy texture. However, this past summer, I made a breakthrough: health-conscious, spongy yogurt bread. Thus this winter break, the challenge was to make another: a health-conscious, fluffy banana bread. Well, here it is! Moist-crumbed, perfectly sweet, intensely banana, this banana bread is incredibly easy to whip together. And if you’re not a morning person, great news. Bake it the night before and it’ll be just as good (arguably better) the next morning.

Feel-Good Banana Bread

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 3 large (400 g peeled) overripe bananas
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar*
• 1/4 coconut oil or butter, melted*
• 1 egg*
• 1 1/2 cup (180 g) all-purpose flour*
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• Whole walnuts or pecans

*Updates:

• 2 tbsp if bananas are super overripe
• Neutral-tasting oil works too
• To make vegan, use a flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water)
• Bread flour works too

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, salt).
2. In a large bowl, thoroughly mash the bananas. Add the rest of the wet ingredients (sugar, oil/butter, and egg); mix well.
3. Add the dry mixture to the wet; mix until just combined. 
4. Scrape the batter into an oiled loaf pan; lightly press in the nuts.
5. Bake for 50 minutes or until the bread passes the toothpick test. Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving warm. (alternatively cover and let completely cool overnight; depending on personal preference, bread may taste better the next day!)