Healthier Banana Bread!

I posted another recipe for banana bread a while ago. You can find it HERE. I had 3 really ripe bananas that needed to be used (see picture below). The only problem was that the recipe calls for 1 cup of shortening and I didn't have enough. (Well, it would be 1/2 a cup since I only had 3 bananas.) There was only about 3-4 tablespoons of shortening left in the container we had. I was thinking about having Ryan buy more shortening, but I knew there were banana recipes out there that didn't call for shortening so I decided to look up new recipes on the internet. I found some recipes that called for applesauce instead of shortening, so I decided to try it! It is actually really good, and more healthy for you! Shortening is just solidified fat. Gross! After I made this new recipe of banana bread, I threw away the container of shortening that we had. There wasn't much left in it anyway. I'm not planning on ever using shortening for anything ever again, especially when there is healthier food that can be substituted for it.


Ingredients:

3 ripe bananas
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. applesauce
2 eggs
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 c. flour

Directions:

Place bananas in large bowl and mash with electric mixer. Stir in the sugar and let stand 15 minutes. Add the applesauce and eggs and beat well. Beat in the baking soda, baking powder, salt and vanilla, then gradually beat in the flour, mixing thoroughly. Pour into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan that has been coated with nonstick spray.

Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes before removing from the pan.


When I made the bread, I put it in the oven for 45 minutes, but then I turned the oven off and let it sit in there for another 15-20 minutes because the middle was still gooey. I didn't want to burn the bread, but leaving it in with the oven off will do the trick. :)


I got the recipe here. It has optional frosting that you can make. I didn't make it because I like banana bread just plain. Here is the frosting recipe if you want to make it:

1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/4 c. creamy peanut butter
3 tbsp. milk

Beat until well blended. Frost bread.