Almond Butter Banana Bread

Almond Butter Banana Bread! This naturally sweetened banana bread is finished off with a luxurious swirl of almond butter. It's a wholesome snack that you'll want to make over and over again!

My bags are packed and at this time tomorrow, I should be headed to Vermont where I'll be spending the weekend with the folks from Stonyfield Organic for their farm tour.

This is my first blogger trip {I used to dream about being invited on one of these things when I first realized they were an actual thing}, and if you follow me on Instagram, you will probably be wishing that my Floridian arse never stepped foot on a farm because I'm pretty sure I'll be taking a picture per second. I'm sorry in advance.

As much as I love to travel, the uncertainty and lack of control one experiences during the process often fills me with a mixture of excitement and anxiety. 

My Kindergarten teacher labeled me a natural "worry wart" back when I was 5 and things haven't changed much 30 years later. Currently, there are two running lists in my head -- the "Things I'm Excited About" list and the "Things I'm Slightly Nervous About" list. Here are just a few points on each one:

Yay: 

• Having several hours to sit and read a book or magazine.
• Meeting new bloggers!
• Learning more about organic farming.
• Traveling to a state I've never been to.
• Less humidity.
• Photo opps.
• BABY FARM ANIMALS, PEOPLE.

Boo: 

• Waking up at 5 a.m.
• Flying on a smallish plane.
• Car trips on long, windy roads -- but happy to be driven and not have to do the driving.
• Chickens & horses. {Both kinda freak me out.}
• Being away from my family for the whole weekend. {I'll be gone 3 weekends in a row. I hope my kid still remembers me at the end of August.}

Regardless of my worries, this is an incredible opportunity and I can't wait to come back and share what I've learned, experienced and -- of course -- ate!

Meanwhile, I'm going to leave you with a recipe for a snack that will probably be packed away in my airplane bag -- Almond Butter Swirl Banana Bread Bars.

The almond butter wizards at Justin's sent me a care package of nut butters to use in my recipes {or spoon directly into my mouth. They didn't specify, so...} and now my pantry is well-stocked with several flavors, which will probably not last very long at all in this nut butter-crazy household.

Banana bread is so, so delicious, but most recipes are no better for you than a slice of cake. With a few tweaks and a swirl of Justin's Maple Almond Butter, you can make almond butter banana bread that is wholesome enough to eat for breakfast.

There's no butter or white sugar in these, but they're subtly sweetened with maple syrup and honey, and the texture doesn't suffer at all thanks to the addition of coconut oil and Greek yogurt. I made these with white whole wheat flour, but you can use your favorite gluten-free blend if you prefer. {I found this article about flours very informative!}

I made it in an 8x8 inch square pan and cut them into bars rather than a traditional banana bread loaf, and I loved it this way.

The swirl of almond butter at the top gives them that extra bit of decadence that will make them popular wherever you serve them!

So, tell me, are you a laid back traveler or do you get a little angsty like I do? 

Almond Butter Banana Bread

The Kitchen Prep

Almond Butter Banana Bread! This naturally sweetened banana bread is finished off with a luxurious swirl of almond butter.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 55 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 9 servings

Ingredients

  

• 2 large bananas mashed
• ½ cup coconut oil
• ½ cup whole milk Greek yogurt
• ¼ cup honey
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1¾ cups white whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 3 tablespoons almond butter I used Justin's Maple Almond

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8x8 inch square baking pan with foil and spray with non-stick spray {or oil from a Misto, as I do}. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl, beat together mashed bananas, coconut oil, yogurt, honey, maple syrup, vanilla extract and egg.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. Add to wet ingredient, mixing until just combined. {Don't over-mix.}
• Scoop the batter into the prepared baking pan. Dollop the almond butter* a teaspoon at a time on top of the batter. Using a skewer or the end of a knife, swirl gently into the batter.
• Bake for about 40-45 minutes until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean.
• Cool for 20-30 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Adapted from Creme de La Crumb

If the almond butter is too stiff, you can scoop it into a small microwave-safe container and heat it for a few seconds at a time until it loosens up and is easier to work with.