There’s something undeniably comforting about banana bread. It’s one of those timeless recipes that feels wholesome and nourishing—but in reality, many traditional versions are packed with refined flour, sugar, butter, and more, turning what could be a nourishing snack into something that doesn’t belong in our bodies!
The good news is that banana bread can absolutely live up to its “healthy” reputation with just a few thoughtful tweaks.
Our version is made predominantly from whole-food ingredients, focusing on nourishment without compromising taste or texture. Instead of relying on refined flours and added sugars, we let oats, naturally sweet dates and ripe bananas do the heavy lifting. Those beautifully spotty bananas aren’t just ideal—they’re essential. The riper they are, the sweeter and more flavourful your loaf will be.
To take things a step further, we’ve added a high-quality protein powder to give this banana bread a satisfying protein boost.
One of the most important (and often overlooked) steps in getting the perfect banana bread texture is patience. As tempting as it is to slice into it straight from the oven—especially when your kitchen smells that good—resist the urge. Letting the loaf cool completely in the tin for a couple of hours allows it to set properly, giving you that soft, moist, perfectly sliceable texture.
Admittedly, this can feel like a bit of a challenge. The aroma alone is enough to test anyone’s willpower. But trust me—it’s worth the wait.
This is banana bread the way it should be: naturally sweet, satisfying, and made to truly nourish.
Now let’s get to the recipe…
Macros (Per slice / Makes 8)
280 kcal, protein 13g, carbs 36g, fat 8g
Ingredients:
2 tbsp ground flax
150g oat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt (optional)
1 tsp cinnamon
70g vanilla protein powder
(or another preferred flavour)
30g pecans
30g walnuts
50g raisins
115g dates
210g soya milk
1tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 medium bananas (ripe, spotty ones work best)
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
Line a 9 x 5-inch baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
Mix the ground flax with 6 tbsp water and set aside.
In a large bowl, mix together the oat flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and protein powder.
Crush the pecans and walnuts and add them to the bowl along with the raisins, and mix again.
In a blender, combine the dates, soya milk, apple cider vinegar and vanilla and mix until smooth.
In a bowl, mash the bananas with a fork until fairly smooth, and then add the date mixture and mix again.
Add in the flax mixture and give it a final mix.
Add the bowl of wet ingredients to the bowl of dry ingredients and mix well.
Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and cover with tin foil. Place it in the oven for 45 minutes.
Remove it from the oven and leave it in the tin for 2 hours to cool completely so that the middle can firm up.
Chop into 8 servings and enjoy.
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To your health & fitness,
Paul & Gemma
Hench Herbivore
