Chocolate Protein Banana Bread

Why This Recipe Works

• Whole grains - This recipe is made using oat flour, so you're getting all whole grains in this gem. Try my gluten-free oat flour pancakes, oat flour cookie recipe and oat flour brownies for more oat flour recipes!
• Refined sugar free - This bread is sweetened with a little bit of coconut sugar, which is a natural sugar and is lower in the GI index (so there's a lower chance of spiking your blood sugar).
• Gluten free and dairy free friendly - Made with all gluten free and dairy free friendly ingredients.
• Great for breakfast or a snack - Just like my gluten-free banana oat muffins and gluten-free pumpkin bead, these are perfect for an easy breakfast on the go or as an afternoon or post-workout snack.

Ingredients

A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below. Here are some specific notes to help with selecting ingredients.

• Oat flour - If needing this bread to be gluten free, be sure to use certified gluten-free oat flour. I prefer making my own oat flour, but you can use store bought as well.
• Tapioca starch - Used as a binder and for texture. You can use tapioca or arrowroot starch/powder.
• Apple cider vinegar - This reacts with the baking powder to help the bread rise since there isn't any gluten. You can also use fresh lemon juice.
• Coconut oil - If not dairy free, you can use melted butter.
• Cacao - I like using cacao powder as it's less processed and contains more nutrients than cocoa powder. That said, cocoa powder can also be used.

How to Make Chocolate Protein Banana Bread

• Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients.
• Step 2: In a small mixing bowl, whisk the wet ingredients, including the mashed banana.
• Step 3: Add the wet ingredients to the bowl with the dry ingredients.
• Step 4: Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are combined.

• Step 5: Line a 9x5 loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving extra hanging over the ends.
• Step 6: Bake at 350-degrees F for about 50 minutes, or until a knife entered in the center comes out clean.

Allow bread to cool slightly before removing from pan. Pull on the extra parchment paper to remove the bread loaf from the pan.

Allow to fully cool before slicing. Bread will continue to set as it cools.

What is the Best Protein Powder to Use?

There are so many protein powders out there, and in my opinion, a lot of them are chalky and just taste bad. However, all protein powders should work in this recipe. If you have one that you like, I would say go with that one.

If you don't have one that you like, I highly recommend Truvani Chocolate Protein. It's made with super simple ingredients and doesn't have a lot of added junk. It also is the best tasting protein I've had. This one also tastes great in my protein brownie bites.

I've also heard good things about Sprout Living protein powder (though I have not tried it) and have always been a fan of Garden of Life chocolate protein. Both are vegan protein powders. If you are looking for a whey protein, I would again recommend Garden of Life whey protein. It is made from simple, organic ingredients and they also use pasture-raised/grass-fed cows.

Clean food tip: Whichever protein powder you use, look for one that is organic (to ensure there are no synthetic pesticides or GMO ingredients), is low in added sugars, doesn't have artificial flavors (or "natural flavors" if you can avoid it), and is free of soy protein concentrate or isolate. Most protein powders will have stevia leaf (okay if actually stevia "leaf") and/or artificial sweeteners such as erythritol (in minimal doses it's okay and make sure it's organic.) 

How to Store

Allow bread to cool to room temperature before storing. Store in an airtight container at room temp for up to 48 hours to maintain freshness. You can also store it in the fridge to extend shelf life (and quickly warm in the microwave to bring back to room temp).

The bread will also freeze well. I recommend slicing and then freezing so you can thaw by the slice when needed. This bread will stay well in the freezer for 2 months.

Expert Tips and Notes

Make sure to use very ripe bananas. The riper the bananas, the sweeter they will be and the more banana flavor you will get.

Make this a double chocolate banana bread by adding 1 cup chocolate chips into the batter before baking.

Allow bread to fully cool before slicing. Oat flour baked goods are very fragile when they are still warm. Also, slice into thicker slices and then slice in half if wanting a smaller piece.

You can use store bought oat flour or make your own oat flour. I highly recommend making your own as it's much cheaper and is so easy to do.

Oats can become contaminated with gluten during processing, so make sure to use certified gluten-free oat flour if needing this to be 100% gluten free.

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