Easy Oil Free Banana Bread

One of the very first Recipes (and videos) that the kids did was banana bread. This was for several reasons: First and foremost, as their mom, I knew they would actually eat it. After that, I realized that is super easy to make and really hard to mess up (see the video….) For a spoiler alert, they pretty much just dumped all the ingredients into one bowl and mixed. We didn’t do dry ingredients in one bowl, wet in another. No sifting of flour, perfect measurements, ordering ingredients – None of that usual baking nonsense.. and it turned out great. We even tried to make it healthy-ish by changing out the oil for applesauce and nobody was any the wiser…..So join us as we share our first Banana Bread recipe—a simple, no-fail treat that everyone will enjoy.

What’s Banana Bread, Anyway?

Is it bread? Is it dessert? Do you eat it for breakfast or a snack? Well, it’s all those things. It is a soft and sweet bread with the flavor of ripe bananas, cinnamon and sugar. It’s easy to make, hard to mess up, and the perfect way to use up those extra bananas that are turning brown. It is also great for a first recipe when attempting to cook with kids (or if they are learning to cook by themselves).

Here’s What You’ll Need:

• Ripe Bananas: You’ll need about 2-3 overripe bananas, the browner, the better.
• Apple Sauce: A great substitute for the oil that is normally used in banana bread recipes.
• Sugar: You’ll need ¾ cup of sugar to add sweetness.
• Egg: Crack one egg into your mixing bowl.
• Vanilla Extract: A little splash, about 1 teaspoon, adds a hint of vanilla flavor.
• Baking Soda and powder: These ingredients make your banana bread rise.
• All-Purpose Flour: Measure out 1 ½ cups of flour, the magic that holds it all together.
• Optional Mix-Ins: You can get creative with add-ins like chocolate chips or nuts if you like them.

Let’s Bake Some Banana Bread!

Step 1: The Dry Stuff

• Add the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and baking powder. Mix gently until it’s all combined.

Step 2: Add the Egg, Applesauce and Vanilla in a Separate Bowl

• Crack your egg (making sure not to have any shell fall in) and add the splash of vanilla extract and the apple sauce. Mix it all up.

Step 3: Mash Those Bananas

• Start by peeling your ripe bananas and placing them in a bowl. Use a fork to mash them up until they’re nice and mushy. Add it to the bowl of wet ingredients.

Step 4: Mix

• Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until combined

Step 5: Mix-Ins (Optional)

• If you’re adding extras like chocolate chips or nuts, gently fold them into your batter. These little surprises make your banana bread extra special!

Step 6: Bake to Perfection

• Pour your banana bread batter into a greased loaf pan. Bake it in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 50 minutes. Keep an eye on it; it’s ready when a toothpick comes out clean.

Step 8: Cool and Slice

• Once it’s out of the oven, let your banana bread cool for a bit. Then, slice it up, and ENJOY!

Why We Love Banana Bread:

• No-Fail Fun: Banana bread is simple to make, and even if you’re a beginner, it always turns out great.
• Tasty Experimentation: You can get creative with add-ins like nuts or chocolate chips to make it your very own.
• Snack Time Superhero: Banana bread is perfect for breakfast, snack time, or even dessert.

Happy baking!!

KID COOKING GUIDE

PARENT PREP: because someone has to do the dirty work

KIDTASTIC! Tasks for the kiddos

PARENT TASK: Keeping kids out of the hospital one task at a time

TEAM TASK: Working together to get it done

PARENT CHEAT: I have a million things to do and cooking isn’t one

**Every child is different when it comes to what they can do in the kitchen. The “kidtastic!” And “Parent tasks” are only suggestions when it comes to dividing up jobs.   Always supervise your child in the kitchen and go at their pace.

Parent Cheat: None

Parent Prep: None