This seriously moist & delicious banana bread features fresh strawberries & an oat flour!
After I went strawberry picking a couple weeks ago, I had all of these strawberry recipe ideas swirling around in my head. And so, today we’re talking about strawberry recipe #2 of this season!
{Recipe #1 was these dairy free baked strawberry donuts with strawberry cream cheese frosting.}
Since we had picked a big bucket of berries, I thought that they’d be around for awhile, and that I’d get to test out at least a couple of recipes. But that was not the case!
Less than a week after my husband and I went strawberry picking, we had eaten the entire bucket. What can I say, we both are big strawberry fans (I mean who doesn’t like strawberries?!). Luckily, I did have the chance to create today’s recipe with some of our local berries… and it’s a good one!
Banana bread is one of my favorite things to bake, and I know that I’m not alone in that sentiment. There’s just something about baking ripe bananas into a dessert-y kind of bread that is so damn good. A couple of my favorite variations are pumpkin banana bread, chocolate chip banana bread & this apple pie banana bread.
I decided to use oats for this banana bread base because I love how hearty they are. I use oats all the time in recipes, from pancake batters and smoothies to banana bread and muffins.
A few other healthy substitutes that I used in this recipe include apple sauce and coconut oil in place of butter and vegetable oil.
A lot of banana breads call for tons of sugar, but personally, I like to let the fruit shine more by using a bit less sweetener. Less sugar also means a lighter, less caloric banana bread.
For this recipe, I used a bit of brown sugar + some monk fruit instead of cane sugar – though you can easily just use cane sugar if you don’t have monk fruit on hand.
One slice of this banana bread comes in at 230 calories – which I happen to think is the perfect portion for a snack or dessert. A serving also contains 5 grams of fiber and 45% of the daily recommended Vitamin C intake (not too shabby!).
As strawberries become in-season near you, I hope that you give this delicious banana bread a try!
Healthy Strawberry Oat Banana Bread {vegan + gluten free}
Ingredients
- 2 cups dry oats or oat flour
- 3-4 ripe bananas mashed, depending on how banana-y you like your banana bread (I tend to like mine packed with banana, so I use 4!)
- 1 cup strawberries finely diced
- 2 TBSP ground flaxseed meal
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup monk fruit sweetener or can sub in cane sugar & use 1/3-1/2 cup
- 1/3 cup unsweetened apple sauce
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 2 TBSP coconut oil melted
- 1/2 TBSP vanilla extract
- 1 TSP baking powder
- 1/2 TSP salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9x5 loaf pan with cooking spray.
- Make the flax egg by combining the ground flaxseed and water in a small bowl. Stir and let it sit.
- If using dry oats, place them in the food processor and pulse until finely ground.
- Place oat flour in a mixing bowl.
- Add in the monk fruit, brown sugar, baking powder and salt. Briefly stir.
- Add in the flax egg, apple sauce, melted coconut oil, vanilla and mashed banana. Stir just until combined. Fold in the strawberries. Stir again.
- Pour the batter into the loaf pan, and bake for 50 minutes-1 hour, or until a toothpick comes out of the middle of the banana bread clean.
- Allow the bread to cool before cutting into slices. Enjoy!
Yes yes for strawberry season!! And even more yes for baking with them! haha This banana bread sounds soooo good! Although it’s making me sad that I don’t have a slice to eat right now… lol
Thanks girl, baking with strawberries is the best! I’ve been all about strawberries but am also looking forward to baking with raspberries soon.
I love the strawberry banana combo — this bread looks absolutely delicious! I love how wholesome it is and I’d love a slice with my coffee right now!
Thanks Marcie! I’d love a slice of it right now too – I’ll have to make another loaf soon!
I’ve been promising my co-workers banana bread… this may have to happen! The strawberries are so perfect right now!
Oooh yea you’ll be the office favorite!!
Yay for strawberry season! They are so dang good right now and I can’t think of a better combo than strawberry and banana. Send me a loaf, please!! 😉
I happily would share a loaf with you! We should exchange – I’ll take some of the scones that you’ve been making! 😉
omg i totally want to make this! i believe i have all the ingredients at home now! weekend plans… 😛
Wootwoot, hope that you make it this weekend! Let me know.
I love the recipes, but i haven’t used them yet. I would like to know the nutritional value. when i look at a recipe I look for the carbs and sugar content. Could you add those please.
Hi Linda,
For 1/7 of the recipe, there are 215 calories, 6g fat, 38g carb, 15g sugar, 4g protein & 5g fiber.