Easy Healthy Low Fat Applesauce Banana Bread

WW Recipe of the Day: Healthy Low Fat Applesauce Banana Bread

My favorite thing to make with overripe bananas is banana bread.

The other alternative is to peel and toss them into a zipper lock bag for the freezer where they are ready and waiting to be added to healthy smoothies, protein shakes and "ice cream".

I have lots of different recipes for healthy Weight Watchers friendly banana bread recipes here on Simple Nourished Living.

This one is a bit different. Made from a combination of applesauce and bananas, this healthy applesauce banana bread is as easy as it is delicious.

And it hasn't doubled in SmartPoints the way so many sweet treats have under the Weight Watchers Beyond the Scale Program.

I think I've discovered the secret to making sweet treats with a moderate amount of SmartPoints that doesn't require resorting to artificial sweeteners! (Splenda gives me a headache and I don't like the bitter aftertaste of stevia, but I'm continue to experiment with Truvia (affiliate link).)

I prefer to try to just keep the amount of sugar as low as possible, use mashed 0 Points fruit like unsweetened applesauce and bananas for natural moisture and sweetness, and use as little fat as possible.

Applesauce Banana Bread Recipe Notes

The original recipe called for baking mix such as Jiffy or Bisquick, which while convenient, now that I'm an avid food label reader, I realize isn't the healthiest choice ever. So I substituted flour, baking powder and salt instead.

I used white whole-wheat flour to bump up the nutrition a bit. Feel free to substitute all-purpose flour or a combination of white-wheat and all-purpose if you prefer.

I haven't tried this recipe with regular whole wheat flour which can be much heavier and more dense.

As a longtime Weight Watcher, my kitchen is equipped with a digital kitchen scale (affiliate link), which I now routinely use to weigh my flour instead of measuring it when baking, because it provides more accuracy and consistency.

If you have issues with managing portion-control when it comes to baked goods, you could always use this recipe to make mini-loaves, muffins or mini muffins instead.

How Many Calories/WW Points in this WW Friendly Applesauce Banana Bread?

According to my calculations each slice has 120 calories and:

3 *SmartPoints (Green plan)
3 *SmartPoints (Blue plan)
3 *SmartPoints (Purple plan)
3 *PointsPlus (Old plan)

To see your WW PersonalPoints for this recipe and track it in the WW app or site, Click here!

Low Fat Applesauce Banana Bread Ingredients

• ¾ cup mashed bananas
• ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
• ½ cup brown sugar (use zero calorie sweetener if you prefer)
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
• ½ teaspoon salt

Delicious Banana Bread Additions & Variations

There are many tasty additions you can add to banana bread to enhance its flavor and texture. Here are a few suggestions:

1. Chocolate chips: Adding chocolate chips to banana bread is a classic combination that many people love.
2. Nuts: Chopped nuts such as walnuts, pecans, or almonds add a delicious crunch to banana bread.
3. Dried fruit: Dried fruit such as cranberries, raisins, apricots or dates can add sweetness and texture to your banana bread.
4. Spices: Cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger are great spices to add to banana bread for extra warmth and flavor.
5. Cocoa powder: If you want more chocolate flavor you can add cocoa powder to your banana bread batter. A quarter cup is about all you need to turn your bread from banana to cocoa-banana.
6. Coconut: Shredded coconut can add a tropical flavor and texture to banana bread.
7. Peanut butter: Stir in some peanut butter to add a rich, nutty flavor to your banana bread.
8. Blueberries: Fresh or frozen blueberries can add a burst of juicy sweetness to your banana bread..
9. Cream cheese: Swirl in some cream cheese to make your banana bread extra creamy and indulgent.
10. Citrus: Adding lemon or orange zest to your banana bread can add a bright, citrusy flavor that pairs well with the sweetness of the bananas. Orange juice is good too. 
11. Apricot jam or orange marmalade: two or three tablespoonfuls of jam can jazz up a simple banana bread.
12. Fruit: Blueberries & pineapple are two favorites 

Kitchen Tools I Used to Make this Banana Bread:

• Mixing Bowls (affiliate link)
• Potato Masher (affiliate link)
• 9 x 5 inch loaf pan (affiliate link)
• Digital Kitchen Scale (affiliate link)

If you like this easy recipe for banana bread with applesauce, be sure to check out some of my other easy healthy Weight Watchers friendly recipes including Low-Fat Banana Nut Bread, Bran Banana Chocolate Chip Bread, Individual "Banana Bread" Baked Oatmeal Cups, Cashew Banana Mini Muffins and Mini Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Banana Muffins

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If you've made this Banana Bread with Applesauce, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. And stay in touch on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.

*Points® calculated by WW. *PointsPlus® and SmartPoints® calculated by Simple Nourished Living; Not endorsed by Weight Watchers International, Inc. All recipe ingredients except optional items included in determining nutritional estimates. SmartPoints® values calculated WITHOUT each plan's ZeroPoint Foods (Green plan, Blue plan, Purple plan) using the WW Recipe Builder.

Watch how easy it is to make your own healthy applesauce banana bread at home:

Ideas for Making Banana Bread WW Friendly

• Opt for overripe bananas: Bananas with brown spots are naturally sweeter, allowing you to use less sugar in your recipe.
• Swap in a sugar substitute: Consider using Stevia or Splenda as a substitute for regular or brown sugar.
• Choose whole wheat flour: To boost nutrition and add a nutty flavor, opt for whole wheat flour over white flour, which also has more fiber. I like white wheat flour which is bit lighter in baked goods. 
• Substitute with nonfat Greek yogurt: Replace oil or butter in your recipe with nonfat Greek yogurt to add protein and reduce calories and Weight Watchers points.
• Use egg whites: For a lower calorie and fat option, use egg whites instead of whole eggs.
• Use nonfat milk: To lower the calorie count, switch to nonfat milk instead of whole milk.
• Add spices for extra flavor: To add flavor without extra calories, try adding cinnamon, nutmeg, or other spices to your recipe.
• Try mini loaf pans or muffin tins: Use smaller pans to make mini loaves or muffins and reduce the calorie count per serving.
• Swap in unsweetened applesauce: Replace oil with unsweetened applesauce in your recipe.
• Make your recipe gluten-free or vegan: Experiment with alternative flours or egg substitutes to make a healthy version of your recipe that suits your dietary preferences.

More Easy Healthy Banana Recipes for Weight Watchers:

• Skinny Banana Oatmeal Muffin & Bread Recipes
• Healthy Low-Fat Banana Bread
• Low Fat Chocolate Banana Bread
• Healthy Low Fat Banana Bread with Apricot and Dates
• Skinny Chocolate Banana Muffins
• Skinny Banana Coconut Date Muffins
• Low Fat Banana Bread
• Nutella Banana Bread
• Skinny Healthy Banana Coconut Date Muffins
• Low Fat Banana Cake with Peanut Butter Icing
• Banana Cranberry Muffins
• Moist Banana Nut Bread

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