While I was in high school, my parents joined a small country club in our town, tucked away into a quiet neighborhood up in the hills. They chose a simple pool and tennis membership because Mom mainly wanted a peaceful place to swim laps, and rambunctious kids always splashed around the city pool during the summer!
As part of every membership, the country club required that each family spent a certain amount of money at its dining facilities each quarter. They hosted a fancy buffet brunch on the last Sunday of every month, which we often attended, and during the summer, we sometimes ordered grilled cheese sandwiches and chef’s salads from the grill next to the pool.
Yet my parents only recently discovered that their membership included 24-hour access to the country club’s fitness center! Although fairly small and only slightly larger than a typical hotel gym, it contained a treadmill, elliptical trainers, and a decent number of weight machines.
While spending time with my parents earlier this very rainy month, I decided to stop by the fitness center and do my daily walk on their treadmill instead of braving the downpour outside with an umbrella. Blissfully quiet, I shared the room with nobody else during my entire workout, but as I turned to go and start heading towards the parking lot…
I spotted their little complementary table with three large canisters full of peanuts, trail mix, and peanut M&Ms just a few feet outside of the fitness center door — complete with a hundred plastic cups for anyone to fill with the goodies. With plenty of nuts and peanut butter at home, I easily skipped past the first two, but as a huge chocoholic…
I surprisingly walked away with only a teeny tiny handful of M&Ms!
It helped that I had this healthy strawberry banana bread waiting for me back at their house! Between the bananas and berries, it has plenty of naturally sweet fruit flavor. It’s also supremely moist and perfect for breakfasts, snacks, or whenever you’re craving a little something sweet…
Which is basically daily for me!
HOW TO MAKE HEALTHY STRAWBERRY BANANA BREAD
To make this easy strawberry banana bread, you’ll start with whole wheat flour. Yes, just regular whole wheat flour! You’re adding so much mashed banana to the batter that its natural sweetness masks any hint of “wheat-y” flavor and keeps the loaf exceptionally moist.
Tip: I’ve included my top gluten-free recommendations in the Notes section of the recipe, if you’d like to make this healthy strawberry banana bread gluten-free instead!
That’s right — exceptionally moist, despite just 1 tablespoon of coconut oil! The rest of its tender texture comes from the mashed banana, buttermilk, and Greek yogurt. If you’ve been around my blog for a while, you know just how much I love Greek yogurt! It adds the same moisture as extra oil or butter for a fraction of the calories, and it gives your baked treats a protein boost too.
Since I don’t regularly bake with buttermilk (I mainly use it for these biscuits, these waffles, and these pancakes!), I almost always end up with over half a carton left over… So instead, I often reach for powdered buttermilk! It’s shelf-stable and lasts for months, and it provides the same flavor and texture as the regular kind you’d buy from the refrigerator section. This is the one I use. I highly recommend it!
Tip: You can use that same powdered buttermilk to make all of these recipes of mine too!
As for the mashed banana, make sure you use the ripest and spottiest ones you have! Those yield a better fruit flavor and contain more natural sweetness, so you’ll only need to mix in a couple tablespoons of honey.
Tip: Bananas that are almost pure brown or black are ideal. They also add more moisture to your healthy banana bread, which gives it a softer and more tender texture.
When it comes to the strawberries, both fresh and frozen will work, although I prefer using fresh whenever possible. Make sure you cut them to be about the same size as chocolate chips to ensure the loaf bakes evenly — and that every bite contains a burst of sweet berry flavor!
Think you’ve found a home for those speckled bananas on your counter? 😉 And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amys.healthy.baking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! 🙂 ) I’d love to see your healthy strawberry banana bread!
Healthy Strawberry Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups (240g) whole wheat flour or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tbsp (7g) unsalted butter or coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly
- 2 large egg whites, room temperature
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (60g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- ¾ cup (200g) mashed banana (about 2 medium – and see Notes!)
- 2 tbsp (30mL) honey
- ¼ cup (60mL) low-fat buttermilk (see Notes!)
- 1 cup (140g) whole fresh strawberries, diced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9x5” baking pan with foil, and lightly coat with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the butter, eggs, and vanilla. Mix in the mashed Greek yogurt, stirring until no large lumps remain. Mix in the mashed banana and honey. Alternate between adding the flour mixture and milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, and stirring just until incorporated. (For best results, add the flour mixture in 3 equal parts.) Set aside 2 tablespoons of diced strawberries, and gently fold in rest.
- Spread the batter into the prepared pan, and gently press the remaining diced strawberries on top. Bake at 350°F for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before carefully lifting out the loaf by the foil and transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡ Healthy Blueberry Buttermilk Banana Bread
♡ Healthy Strawberry Blueberry Banana Bread
♡ Healthy Strawberry Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
♡ Healthy Raspberry Banana Bread
♡ Healthy Chocolate Chip Banana Mini Muffins
♡ Healthy Blueberry Banana Bran Muffins
♡ Healthy Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies
♡ Healthy Banana Oatmeal Snack Cake
♡ Healthy Strawberry Banana Oatmeal Cookies
♡ …and the rest of Amy’s healthy banana recipes!
Such a moist looking slice and am so happy that has only 107 calories. I can enjoy a warm slice with my coffee without having any guilt:)
I can’t wait to hear what you think of this banana bread Maria!
Hi Amy
Thank you so much for all your efforts to share wonderful recipes. We really appreciate. I know how much time and effort it takes to do this. Really glad you are doing such an amazing job by sharing these recipes and it means a lot. Thank you once again and God bless you.
I had a quick question instead of strawberry what else fruit can we substitute, can we use apples or mangoes instead. Please reply
Maria, you are so incredibly sweet! I’ll be sure Amy sees your note as well. She does work hard and we really appreciate your support and encouragement so much! We actually have a recipe for Healthy Cinnamon Apple Banana Bread you might like if you’re wanting to use apples! I’d love to hear what you think if you try it!
This is actually more flexible than the recipe suggested! I am more of an opportunist cook and usually just work with what I have or what’s easiest and I ended up making a few minor modifications. Still, it ended up being amazing!
I’m so glad you enjoyed this banana bread Harmony! 🙂
This look amazing! I am such a sucker for banana bread. x
Izzy |http://www.pinchofdelight.com
Thanks Izzy! I definitely am too. 😉
All your recipies are delicious and make me look even more hungrier.
Recently I’ve put on lot of weight and started cycling to reduce weight.
can you write some recipies for diabetic guys?
I really appreciate your kind words about my recipes Nick! That’s really great that you’re trying to lose weight and eat healthier. I’m not a healthcare professional, so I don’t feel comfortable providing advice about what to eat for a diabetic person. However, I do provide the Nutrition Information underneath my recipes, which should help determine whether the recipe is a good fit for a diabetic diet. You’re also welcome to share specific recipes and their Nutrition Information with your healthcare professional to see if they’d work for a diabetic diet. If you’re looking for a specific recipe, then click on the “Recipes” tab at the top of my blog or use the Search Bar (located on the right side, if you’re viewing on a computer, or the bottom of my blog, if you’re viewing on a mobile device). 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what recipes you try!
SMART to prepare for avoiding the table of treats! HA. That’s a great perk to the country club. This bread looks like the perfect pre or post treadmill snack!
Thanks Brittany!! 🙂
I made this– a fine recipe, but it definitely does taste healthy! I guess maybe I’m not accustomed to whole wheat baked goods. I’m glad it’s as healthy as it is, though; no guilt in eating this!
I’m glad you enjoyed this banana bread Caroline! 🙂
How do I use coconut flour as a substitute for recipes that uses whole wheat flour/gluten free flour?
It really depends on the recipe! However, I don’t recommend using coconut flour in my recipes unless explicitly called for because it behaves so much differently than any other flour. The best way to find those specific coconut flour recipes of mine is to click on the “Recipes” tab at the top of my blog or use the Search Bar (located at the top of my blog, if you’re viewing on a computer, or the bottom of my blog, if you’re viewing on a mobile device). 🙂
Does this recipe work for muffins instead of a loaf?
I think making this bread as muffins is a great idea, Carole! If you’d like to make 12 muffins, you’ll need to bake them at 350°F for about 16-19 minutes (or until the tops feel firm and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with some crumbs attached). If you try this, I’d love to hear what you think of this recipe! 🙂
I can’t wait to try this for myself, but I was wondering if you had any notes on alternatives for an egg free option. My grandson is highly allergic to eggs. Thank you.
We really appreciate your interest in our recipe, Shannon! Amy actually has a family member who is allergic to eggs, and Ener-G is her favorite egg replacement substitute. If you haven’t heard of it before, Ener-G is a flavorless and shelf-stable powder that keeps for ages. It works perfectly as an egg replacer in nearly all of our recipes, including this one! For our recipes, use 1 ½ teaspoons Ener-G + 2 tablespoons warm water for each egg white (and you’ll need an additional ½ tablespoon of butter or coconut oil {or Earth Balance, if you’re vegan!} for each egg yolk, although that doesn’t apply to this particular recipe!).
We’d love to hear what you think of this strawberry banana bread if you end up making it! 🙂
Haven’t tried your recipe yet as want to use fresh strawberries… could I substitute rhubarb for strawberries as looking for healthy loaf/bread recipe. Also would using kiefer instead of buttermilk be okay?
We really appreciate your interest in this recipe, Gail! We haven’t tried either one of those substitutions, so I’m not sure and wouldn’t want to lead you astray! If you decide to experiment on your own, we would love to hear about it! 😉