Healthy Banana Bread recipe made with a secret ingredient 😉 and all in the food processor! It’s moist, decadent and perfect for using up those ripe bananas laying on your kitchen counter.
Oh boy, do I have a surprise for you! Actually, the surprise is in the recipe. Surprise = secret ingredient…
Every month we do a Mystery Dish recipe, where one blogger in the group comes up with about 10 different ingredients and the others have to make something using at least 2 or 3 ingredients on that list.
This month was Simply Gloria’s turn to host. (Are you following her? Her recipes & photos are amazing!) She chose these as her ingredients: cherries, wontons, baking chips, jalapenos, eggs, potatoes, sweetened condensed milk, Greek yogurt, peanut butter, buttermilk, pork loin and beans (canned or dry). We had to use at least three of those ingredients.
I immediately loved this list. The options are endless with a list this good! Obviously Gloria and I are on the same brain wave lengths. 🙂
So here comes the secret ingredient part. Hint: beans.
I love using beans in baking recipes because you really can’t taste them in the recipe but they add so much nutritional value. I always keep some garbanzo beans aka chickpeas in my pantry – both dry and canned.
I also happened to have greek yogurt in my fridge, browning bananas in my fruit bowl, and some dark chocolate chunks in the pantry. So I decided to make a healthy banana bread recipe – using garbanzo beans!
Dude. This bread came out SO good! It was probably the most moistest (tongue twister) banana bread I’ve ever had. You can’t taste the beans at. all. My boys ate a piece when they came home from school and were shocked that the bread had pureed beans in it. Although, shocked probably isn’t the right word, since I’m always adding weird ingredients to food. Ha! Sadly, they’re pretty used to it by now, lol!
I loved the texture of this banana bread. This is a new staple in our house. Every time I have ripe bananas, I’m making this Healthy Banana Bread! I hope you get brave and try it too. You know what they say about beans… they’re good for your heart. 😉
(Secret Ingredient) Healthy Banana Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 15-oz can garbanzo beans, drained
- 2 ripe bananas
- 4 Tbsp. coconut oil
- 2 Tbsp. plain fat-free greek yogurt
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla
- 1/2 cup Truvia Baking Blend If you can't find Truvia, you may use another sweetener or about 1 cup sugar
- 1 3/4 cup white whole wheat flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/8 tsp. baking soda
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 2 eggs
- 2 Tbsp. milk
- 3/4 cup chocolate chips I used dark chocolate chunks
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a food processor, add drained garbanzo beans. Process until smooth. Add in bananas and blend.
- Now add in coconut oil. Blend to combine. Next, add Greek yogurt, vanilla and Truvia. Process until mixed together.
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Alternate pouring flour mixture and eggs into bean mixture, processing after each addition.
- When eggs and flour mixture are combined, add in milk. Take off food processor lid and lightly stir in chocolate chips.
- Pour into prepared loaf pan and bake for 55-60 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Cool on rack for about 15 minutes before taking out of pan. Slice and enjoy!
Nutrition
Check out what my other Mystery Dish friends made this month:
- Peanut Butter Crumble Coffee Cake with Peanut Butter Glaze by Simply Gloria
- Steamed Jalapeno Pork Wontons by Inspiration Kitchen
- Whole Wheat Sweet Potato Waffles by Flavor the Moments
- Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies– Culinary Couture
If you liked this recipe, try these other yummy bean recipes:
Gluten-Free Black Bean Brownies
Other Banana Bread Recipes from friends:
- Cinnamon Chocolate Banana Bread with Toffee by The Weary Chef
- Triple Chip Banana Bread by Inside BruCrew Life
- Chocolate Chip Strawberry Banana Bread by Yellow Bliss Road
Sounds and looks good and really moist. Thank you for the nice recipe.
GAH!!!!! I love the secret ingredient! Garbanzo beans are one of my favorite beans, and I’ll bet they made it so moist! pinned!
I STILL haven’t tried baking with beans. I need to do it! Nag me until I do, OK? 😉
This looks delicious, Jen. I love banana bread. Thanks so much for including a link to my recipe. That was so sweet of you!
I would never have thought to add beans to quick bread! I guess it would make a very moist bread, and adding nutritional balue is a huge bonus! Nice job and pinned!
I LOVE that you used chickpeas! Never would have thought to do that. And I just happen to have some browning bananas on the counter! I am looking forward to making this bread! Pinned!