Healthy Low-Calorie Recipe for Weight Watchers
I bet we’ve all had a bowl of bananas that have just “gone” all of a sudden.……one minute they are pert, bright yellow and slightly green, and suddenly you have a bowl of brown spotted yellow fruit that would rival a Giraffe’s markings. I love bananas and eat one every day – they are packed with vitamin B, potassium, magnesium and are high in fibre, as well as tasting damn good too. I usually have one in the evening, when I’m in front of the telly, it saves me reaching for the biscuit tin and they are a lot healthier than a handful of biscuits. A favourite childhood “nursery pudding” is a bowl of bananas and custard, it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but I LOVE the whole warm and cold thing that happens, as well as the taste of course. But, as well as eating them naked, not me, but the bananas, and having a jug of the creamy golden stuff poured over them, my other favourite way of consuming bananas is Banana Bread……however, banana bread can be VERY hefty in calories, and this is where today’s recipe for Coffee Shop Style Banana Bread comes into its own.
Being on a healthy diet, again, as most of the population probably are, after the excesses of the festive period, I have devised a healthier version of banana bread – similar in style to that lush banana bread you sometimes get in tea rooms and coffee shops, a moist bread that is packed with bananas with a hint of warm cinnamon. I usually add walnuts to my recipe for banana bread, but decided to omit them this time, in the interests of saving a few calories and with the idea of this being suitable for the toasting; however, even “sans walnuts”, this healthier version of banana bread is still super delicious, with that essential slightly chewy texture you get with this style of quick bread. If you cut this into twelve slices, each rather generous slice of banana bread works out to be a mere 6 Smart Points (on the Weight Watchers diet) or 5 Pro Points, for those of you following the old points system. As well making a delightful afternoon snack, a slice of this bread makes the perfect way to start the day, lightly buttered with a low-fat spread, if you wish and served with a piece of fruit.
This banana bread also improves with keeping, if wrapped up and kept in a cool place, the flavour improves over a few days after baking. And, if it does get a little dry, then it is delicious when toasted – with a dollop of marmalade on the top, and it IS the season for marmalade right now! As this is a healthy recipe which contains eggs, and not just any eggs, but my own hen’s free-range eggs, I am adding this low-calorie recipe to Dom from Belleau Kitchen’s Simply Eggcellent challenge, as the theme is Healthy Recipes using Free-Range Eggs this January. The recipe is shared below and do let me know if you make it and how you and your family enjoyed it! Karen
A healthy take on Banana Bread, this lovely quick bread is simple to make with none of the excess fat and sugar that is in normal Banana Bread. (Each slice is 5 ProPoints or 6 SmartPoints in the Weight Watchers diet)Banana Bread
Serves
12 slices
Prep time
5 minutes
Cook time
1 hour
Total time
1 hour, 5 minutes
Allergy
Egg, Wheat
Dietary
Vegetarian
Meal type
Bread, Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
Misc
Child Friendly, Freezable, Serve Cold
Occasion
Barbecue, Casual Party, Easter, Halloween
Region
British
By author
Karen Burns-Booth
Ingredients
Note
Directions
Step 1
Pre-heat oven to 180C/350F/Gas mark 4 and spray a standard 1lb (450g) loaf tin with the low-fat oil spray. Line the bottom with some greaseproof paper to make it easier to take the bread out of the tin when baked.
Step 2
Put ALL of the ingredients into a large bowl and beat with an electric hand whisk, or mix in a food mixer, for about 2 minutes. Beat/mix until JUST blended, do not over mix.
Step 3
Spoon the mixture into the prepared loaf tin and bake for 1 hour, or until it is golden brown and cooked through - test by inserting a cake skewer.
Step 4
Cool in the tin before turning the banana bread out and serving it in slices, buttered.
Step 5
Store in an airtight tin for up 5 days, or slice the loaf before freezing it for up to 3 months.
Print recipe
Jean | DelightfulRepast.com says
Karen, lovely recipe. But by the time I’d gotten to it, my mind had already been captured by the bananas and custard! 🙂 Oh how I love bananas and custard! How I envy you your own free-range eggs.
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks Jean – great, another banana and custard lover! Although, this banana bread is also lush….Karen
Mary says
I enjoy your recipes, however I don’t know anything about weight watcher points. Would it be possible to give the calorie count?
Karen Burns-Booth says
I’ll see if I have time to do that over the weekend Mary, thanks – Karen
Karen Burns-Booth says
I have worked out that there are 150 calories per 60g slice (2oz) of this banana bread Mary!
Mary says
Many thanks, Karen, appreciate it.
Dom says
oh yes I do love this banana bread… I love the way that yours is more dense and more life a loaf than mine which is more cakey. I love that you slather it with butter too… reminds me of my grandma’s banana loaf we would eat at tea time. It’s beautiful and a lovely link for Simply Eggcellent
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks Dom – it is less cakey than normal, as there is less fat in it and also the ingredients are whizzed up together, as there is no fat to cream with the sugar! Always love entering your eggy challenge! Karen
Rosemary says
Brilliant,I don’t think I’ve seen better baking or photographs.
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks so much indeed Rosemary and welcome to my world here! 🙂 Karen
Katie B says
Banana loaf is always my favourite! My local greengrocer sells any overripe bananas for pennies, so I stock up there for cakes and smoothies! I have never added Cinnamon to one before so I look forward to that, yum!
Katie x
Karen Burns-Booth says
The cinnamon adds a wonderful warmth Katie!
Mila says
The banana bread looks so tasty and aromatic! I wish I could take few slices and enjoy! 🙂
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks so much Mila! All gone now, but it will be made again soon! Karen
Nayna Kanabar says
I love banana bread I could eat a couple of slices of this right away. I also love the banana bread bread and butter pudding with vanilla ice cream. It sort of fits in with your hot, cold theory. 🙂
Karen Burns-Booth says
What a GREAT idea Nayna! I like that idea and will do that next time I make this! Karen
Anna says
And I would like to have a glass of coffee with this banana bread for breakfast, thanks Karen for sharing
Karen Burns-Booth says
My pleasure Anna!
Resep says
It was very enjoyable and the enjoyment of banana bread pudding lies in fitting and proper preparations