Lower Fat Banana Bread I

I, too substituted applesauce for the butter and used only egg whites, making this virtually fat-free. To battle my fiance's chocolate cravings, I added unsweetened cocoa powder to half the batter and made a two-layer loaf. Um, yum! Thanks for the healthy and versatile recipe!

I have not tried this recipe yet, but must tell you that the shortening in almost any recipe can be replaced with applesauce. I've done it for years. In cookies the result is a moist cake-like texture. With dense "cakes" like banana bread, they come out super moist, but the bake time is usually slightly less than normal. You can also try using half shortening and half applesauce if you prefer more the traditional texture.

I've made this banana bread several times now and each time it is moist, delicious, and absolutely scrumptious! Its never been bland or tasted like a low-fat version. Of course, the riper the bananas, the better the taste. I love that I can enjoy this wonderful banana bread without all the guilt. Its perfect on the go for a quick breakfast or afternoon snack. Even my fat-fee-low-fat skittish fiance loves this banana bread! He couldn't tell the difference! Thanks for this healthier low-fat version. Its a keeper. -sue

Excellent! I used milk in place of the water. I added some vanilla and a little almond extract. I also sprinkled some chocolate chips on top before I put it in the oven. Baked in 8x4 pan for 55 minutes. Very moist and yummy!

Wow! All the taste without all the fat! I've made a number of full fat banana breads from this site and this low fat version is very, very good. I used 1/3 c. brown sugar, 1/3 c. white sugar, 3 mashed bananas, skim milk instead of water, Sunsweet Lighter Bake instead of the margarine, and added 1 tsp. of vanilla, 1 tsp. of cinnamon, and 1/4 tsp. of almond extract. It had a great texture and baked up very nice in 50 minutes. Also, Pam for baking is a life saver when baking breads!!!

OK. I have to admit - I added 1 cup raisins, 1 cup chopped walnuts and 1 cup chocolate chips, so this definitely wasn't "lowfat" when I was done. But, WOW was it good with the additions! I've made it twice now in the past two weeks to use up some bananas that got too ripe. This recipe is definitely a keeper!

Thought the recipie was very good, and didn't taste low fat, because it really isn't. 5 grams of fat when you have to keep fat grams to 30 grams and under a day just wasn't worth it. Won't make this recipie again.

Thanks for the recipe!! It's really good especially for a banana bread that's not as fattening. Very moist & good flavors. I also added a bit of chopped walnuts... umm umm umm. One concern though- if using a 9x5 pan, you may want to check after 45 mins. I'm glad I did as anything longer would have dried it out.

I didn't care for this recipe...pretty bland.

This was one of the first things i've ever baked. I'm 15 and I usually spend my time at malls rather than in the kitchen. But I got bored and decided to try the recipe out. My family ate the entire loaf that night. It was great. And almost too easy. A WINNER.

Great Recipe! I took the advice of others and did half Splenda/half brown sugar, half margarine/half applesauce,1 3/4 cup banana, half H2O/half 1% milk, 1 C white flour/2/3C Whole Wheat, added 1/2 tsp vanilla, 3/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp ginger, 1/2 cup raisins, and sprinkled the top with chopped pecans and a touch of cinnamon. If you don't put nuts on top, it looks a little bland and boring, so I suggest a little cinnamon for color. I made 6 muffins and cooked for 17 minutes, and cooked 6 small loaves separately from the muffins for 25 minutes. (I had a pan that made 8 loaves and only filled 6). If it is served warm and fresh from the oven, it tends to taste slightly gummy, so let it sit for 10-15 min on a cooling rack before serving. Wonderful and healthy! A great recipe I can feel good serving to my kids, as well as company! Thanks!

This turned out great!! I made it in a cake pan and only had to cook it for half the time, until the top turned nice and brown. Wonderful recipe. Very easy.

I'm always looking for lowfat recipes so this one caught my eye! It's moist and delicious and does NOT taste at all low fat! I usually substitute egg whites for whole eggs. Also, I add 2/3 cup wheat flour and 1 cup white flour in place of 1 2/3 white flour only!!! It's great!

This was a delicious and moist banana bread recipe. Not only did it taste great, but smelled wonderful while in the oven and drove my whole house mad! I added a touch of vanilla (not much!) and a tablespoon of fat-free creamcheese for moistness (reduce the butter/marg first) and it was superb!

Very quick and easy. Turned out just right. Will definitely use this recipe again.

no one even knew that this was a low-fat recipe! It was so moist and full of flavor. It was very easy to follow and turned out great!

This is very similiar to the recipe my mother made but with less butter. I sprinkle nutmeg and cinnamon on the top and a few nuts. HMMMMM Great recipe!!!

This is an easy and absolutely delicious recipe! I would suggest adding walnuts to the mix for those who like them . . .

This recipe was great! My boyfriend ate half the loaf in one day. I made it even lower in fat by substituting egg beaters for the eggs.

Delicious! It was a big hit with my son. Very moist for a low-fat recipe. I only baked it for 50 minutes and it was done perfectly.

I added a half bag of low fat chocolate chips-so much for low fat!!!

This was a very easy and tasty recipe. I've been looking for and trying different banana bread recipes, and this is the one that will end my search. It is moist, sweet, and easy. I added walnuts and it's just terrific!

Very good. I couldn't quit eating it! I used applesauce instead of the margerine and added chocolate chips. I also added extra bananas. The flavor and texture turned out wonderful.

I put my timer on my oven on for the 60 minutes, checked it after 53 minutes and it was very done. The outside was pretty tough and dry. I would recommend setting the timer for 45 minutes and checking it then. The flavor of the bread on the inside was good though.

Tastes so good for a low fat banana bread. I used whole wheat flour, splenda and light butter. I baked for 55 mins, I think 50 mins was maybe enough.

This bread was pretty good, especially for a lowfat one. It wasn't amazing though. I would proabably add something like chocolate chips or nuts to it next time to make it a little more interesting.

Excellent "healthy" banana bread recipe! Made the following mods according to previous reviewers suggestions: substituted brown sugar for white, 1 cup whole wheat flour + 2/3 cup white flour for 1 2/3 cup white flour, unsweetened applesauce for butter (used entire little individual size carton - about 1/3 cup), ff milk for water; used 3 bananas mashed(about 1 1/4 cups); added 1 t. vanilla, 1 t. cinnamon and 1/2 cup chopped walnuts; baked for 50 minutes at 325 degrees. May up the cinnamon and add some nutmeg next time to spice it up a bit more. This recipe has just rocketed to the top of my banana bread recipe list! Love it!

My husband really enjoys this recipe. Banana Bread is his favorite and we are both trying to cut down our calorie intake so finding a low fat banana bread recipe that tastes like a regular recipe is fantastic; however I suggest covering the bread with foil after 25 minutes and removing it from the oven at 50 minutes. You'll get a much nicer looking and softer crust on the bread. Next time I might try adding some pecans to the mix.

Great Bread. Perfect Texture I DID ADD 1 TSP Vanilla and I used half BROWN sugar and half WHITE. You do have to play a little with cook time for me it worked well at lower temp 340 for 50 min . Oh ya I also added WALNUTS. :) Hope this helps

I followed some of the suggested alterations like adding more banana (I put in 3 total), replacing the water with (fat free) milk, replacing the butter with unsweetened apple sauce, and lowering the temperature to 325. I also used egg substitute, replaced 2/3 c of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat and added an extra 1/8 tsp. of baking powder (since whole wheat flour doesn't rise as much). I never tried the original recipe, but I think maybe the whole wheat flour helped the texture problem that some people were talking about. I was really surprised at how good this bread was for being lower fat! I thought the wheat flour might make it dry and bland, but it wasn't at all. I will definitely be making this again. For anyone counting Weight Watchers points, each slice of this version is 3 pts. (from 12 servings)

I followed another's suggestions and made the following changes: substituted 1/3 cup brown sugar for 1/3 cup of the white sugar; substituted applesauce for the margarine; substituted skim milk for the water; substituted 2/3 cup wheat flour for 2/3 cup of the all-purpose flour; added 1 tsp vanilla; and added 1 tsp cinnamon. This is truly the best banana bread I've ever had and it's so much better for you!

Great! But watch you ovens; Mine was done in half the time!

Eazy Recipe! I used the substitutions that were suggested in reviews. Replaced the sugar with 1/3 cup Splenda amd will increase it to 1/2 cup next time, substituted 1/4 c plus 1 TBSP of applesauce instead of margarine, replaced half the flour with Whole Wheat flour and added 1 tsp vanilla and sprinkled a little wheat germ on top of batter just before baking. I think next time I will add cinnamon to mask the aftertaste of the splenda. I did double the recipe and made it into 8 mini loaves. The cooking time was reduced to 30 minutes.

This is a great recipe for a healthier version of banana bread. I added vanilla and cinnamon like others suggested and I used only 1/2 cup of sugar with an extra 1/2 cup of banana. I also baked them in muffin tins (recipe will make about 12 regular muffins) and it only takes about 20-25 minutes. Yummy!!

This is my favorite banana bread recipe! It's light and fluffy, and has lots of flavor for a lower fat banana bread. I like to add 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg and 1/2 tsp ground ginger, and occasionally a splash of vanilla extract. I also like to add any of the following: a cup of frozen berries (blueberries and raspberries are best), 1/2 cup walnuts and/or pecans, 1/2 cup finely chopped candied ginger, 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips. For an extra lush version, top it with fresh lemon juice and dust it with sugar. Goes great for breakfast, toasted, and smothered in fresh applesauce.

mmmmmmmmmm :) Even the batter is good! Try making this without licking the bowl, I dare ya!

First I have to start of by saying that I'm not much of a baker and if I can make this, anyone can if this is your liking. This came out so good. I didn't have a loaf pan so I made cupcakes. Used Splenda instead of sugar, teaspoon of vanilla, cinnamon(tsp),and a dash of nutmeg(like to experiment with different spices) and 3 medium size bananas. This made 10 regular size muffins. Took about 20 minuetes to cook.

Not the best banana bread ever, but pretty good. Especially as it is low fat yet still moist. As others suggested, I added cinnamon, vanilla and ginger to give it some flavor. It would have definitely been bland without these. I also added an extra banana to make about 1 1/2 cups. Used the full amount of margarine and it was very moist.

I love banana bread and this healthier version did not disappoint me or my family one bit…we ate every last crumb! I added another ½ cup of banana, and a ½ tsp. of cinnamon, ¼ tsp. of ground cloves, and ¼ tsp. of ground ginger for some additional flavor…I prefer a spicier bread. This was an extremely quick, easy, and tasty way to avoid wasting some over-ripe bananas!!!

I thought this recipes was great! I made a few changes based on other feedback: I used 1/3 c. of the Splenda/sugar for baking, 2T butter and 2T applesauce, 1/2c egg beaters, 3 medium sized bananas, and 1c reg. flour and 2/3c whole wheat. I bought an 8-wedge cornbread cast iron skillet at Cracker Barrell baked at 350deg. for 42 minutes - each wedge equals 3 WW points - NOT BAD!!!!

Good recipe. I used 2/3 cup whole wheat flour, 1/3 cup brown sugar and 1/3 cup S*lenda, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and a dash each of ginger, nutmeg, clove, and vanilla extract. I only had one egg on hand, and the bread came out okay but it crumbled a bit when I sliced it.

Moist and delicious. I added 1 tsp. cinnamon, a dash of nutmeg, a tablespoon of brown sugar, and doubled the amount of banana. Will certainly make again.

This is a great banana bread for being lower in fat and calories. I read the previous reviews and added vanilla, nutmeg and cinnamon. I also added choc. chips. It turned out great. Not as yummy as a regular ban. bread, but still great!!! I will definetly make again.

Made this over the weekend (had 4 very brown, very soft bananas sitting on the counter). This recipe turned out great -- you can't even tell it's lower in fat. Just as moist as other more fattening versions. I did add 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla to my batter.

Great recipe, really cuts down on the calories and is still moist and delicious! I added a tsp. of vanilla and doubled the amount of bananas and I'm glad I did because if not, I don't think it would have had as good as a banana taste to it. Thanks for the great recipe!

Mmmm, so Good!!!! Really simple to make. I usually add more bananas than called for - probably about 3 bananas worth. Excellent when warm with peanut butter. My favorite breakfast treat.

Fantastic recipe! I usually double the recipe, throw in about 1/2 cup of chocolate chips, use my bundt pan, and bake it for approximately 1 hour.

My first banana bread so I'm probably not the best expert but as I couldn't find anything wrong with the recipe (and the result) I give it 5 stars. Next time I'll reduce the sugar as it was a bit too sweet for me.

I made this bread last night, 1st time EVER making anything from scratch like this. It turned out pretty good. I added cinamon, walnuts,& vanilla so bcuz of that i also added a lil extra water& sugar. Every1 said it was good. Im goin 2 make it again with More banannas cuz it didnt taste to bananna like. But Other than that it was so good, over half the loaf has already been eaten.

Excellent for low fat, only change, was used 1 cup whole wheat flour and 2/3 cup white flour- 1/3 cup regular sugar, 1/3 cup splenda and did 1/8 cup brummel & brown, 2 tbls vanilla yogurt and 1 tbls canola oil, used 3 very ripe banana's and dash of cinnamon and nutmeg--excellent...family eats it quick would do to double or triple and freeze :)

I make this bread ALL THE TIME - it's become famous around my office. I use whole wheat flour and Splenda, and occasionally some flax seed meal, so I don't feel so guilty about adding chocolate chips too. :) Even the "healthy food is for sissies" men I work with devour this and beg for more! It's also really great with dried cranberries mixed in (making 'cranana bread', as it's affectionately known around here).

Unbelievable!!! This was such a wonderful recipe, I loved it and soooo healthy too. I also used applesauce instead of butter, and whole wheat flour instead of all purpose..PERFECT!!!

I swapped this basic low fat banana bread recipe to suit my healthier choices. Used only whole wheat flour with an additional third cup of oatmeal, third cup of honey instead of the sugar, canola oil instead of margarine, three egg whites (no yolks) and added vanilla, cinnamon and walnuts to taste. It suited my needs for a healthy banana bread. Bake time is the same. Delicious!

I used egg substitute, splenda, and added 1/2 cup chocolate chips. We loved it!

It was so very delicious! I wish there were more of it... Only changes i made were 1 1/2 bake cycles in the bread machine( no blade) and i added 1 tsp of cinnamon and 1 tbsp safeway old fashioned syrup with molasses.

Delicious for a lower-fat bread. A quote from my mum "that banana bread is just TOO good"... I added 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla paste, a tiny dash of nutmeg and about 1/2 cup of walnuts. I would have put in cinnamon if I had had some in my cupboard. Also substituted the water for skim milk. I had to bake mine for one hour and 35 minutes though, which was weird. Well worth it though!!!

Delicious. You cant even tell that this has less fat/sugar. I used 3 banana's and replaced the water with milk. Yum!

this is my second time using the recipe and both times it came out great.. however i like my banana bread a bit more dense so i replaced the white sugar with brown, and the water with soymilk... i also added a dash of cinnamon and vanilla.. and used 1t of bp and halft of baking soda.. i also added walnuts to the mix cuz i love nuts with my banana bread.. anyway great recipe to play around with! cuz i don't think u could mess up :P

Yum! This is flavorful & moist. It is "just" a good banana bread recipe, which I say only because there are SO MANY banana bread recipes - but this one is "low" fat. Give it a try. Then put peanut butter on it so it's not low fat anymore :-p (Btw, I used recipe exactly, no applesauce or stuff.)

So so good. I substituted the eggs with an egg replacer, and the butter with applesauce- it turned out deliciously. I was tempted to eat all the batter before it even hit the baking dish.

This is the same recipe I have used for years (from So Fat, Low Fat, No Fat by Betty Rhode) and have adapted my own version from it. Betty's recipe calls for 3/4 C egg substitute in place of the 2 eggs though. Try it out, it's a very good recipe!

Very quick, very easy and very tasty.

I am giving this 4 stars because of the modifications that i make. If not for that, it is a 5. No white sugar, I use brown. Also, go for the butter and not marg! Add 1 tsp vanilla. I use 1 c whole wheat flour and 2/3 c finely ground oats. Sometimes I add 1 c choc chips and other times not. Thanks

I substitute the butter with applesauce, Splenda for the sugar and do 1/2 and 1/2 of wheat and regular flour. I add chia seeds and walnuts. It's incredible!!

This is my "secret recipe"...everyone says I make the best banana bread and this is it! I usually add some chopped walnuts and reduce the sugar a little bit, but it is still delicious as written. Extra good if you make it a day ahead of time, wrap it up in foil, and let it sit overnight...makes the edges really moist.

i thought this recipe was excellent. i added a 1/2 cup more banana's and made them into muffins. my kids love them!!!

This banana bread has a great flavor, but I added some walnuts and vanilla, and it was yummy! Be very careful with the cook time. After 60 minutes, my first attempt was burnt to a crisp!! This recipe is a keeper:)

Delicious, easy, light and not greasy. This is the banana bread recipe you want!

I too used applesauce instead of butter, and added coccoa and cinnamon. I also only used 1/2 cup of sugar. I turned the oven down to 325 and baked for 40 min

Pretty good! I did follow other peeps suggestions using half white sugar half brown sugar, and used apple sauce instead of margarine. I also added dashes of cinnamon, a bit of cardamom, and walnuts. My bread came out slightly dense but still moist but I think I need new baking sodas.

Just got it out of the oven. Delicious. I changed the recipe just a bit. I use a little less sugar (natural sugar instead of white). I used spelt flour instead of white and I added walnuts. I love it. Weight Watchers 1/8th is 9 pts.

These are the changes I made - I added 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ginger, 1/2 tsp. vanilla, 1/4 C chopped walnut, 1/4 C shredded carrot. Instead of water, I used 1/3C 2% milk and 1/3 C water and I used I Can't Believe it's not Butter margerine. I also used 1/2 brown sugar and 1/2 white sugar. After 50 minutes, I turned the temperature down to 300 and baked for 20 more minutes. Perfect! Moist with a crisp outside crust and a delicious flavor. I often bake for a homeless "restaurant" and this is always a hit and I don't feel like I am overloading anyone on sugar.

This banana bread was delicious, just as good as, if not better than my other more fattening recipes. I can make this and not feel guilty eating it! I also only cooked it for 45 minutes. Thanks.

this was alright. substitued sugar for splenda, white flour for whole wheat and applesauce for oil. it was a bit dry but pretty good for extremely low calorie

Very good recipe. I added cinnamon and walnuts and the flour I used was combination of whole wheat, white and oat flour. I replaced the margarine with applesause, so it was very healthy. The only thing I would do differently next time is beat the egg whites and fold them into the batter to make to eliminate the little bit of gumminess that it had. The loaf was gone in 2 days and there are only two of us.

Soooo Delicious! I made this banana bread last night and it was so good. However, I did tweak it a bit because of my diet. I used 1 cup of cake flour (didn't have all purpose)2/3 wheat flour, 1/4 cup of smart balance for margarine, 2/3 cup brown sugar, rice milk instead of water. I also used vanilla flavoring. It was very moist and a very nice texture. I will make this again and again......It's a keeper. Thanks!

Excellent!! I made a triple batch since I had so many bananas. I didn't use the margarine but substituted applesauce. I made one plain, one with raisins and the third with crasins, all came out great.

I just used this recipe (made muffins instead of a loaf) and it is wonderful! I changed a few things: used milk instead of water, butter instead of margerine, added a dash of all-spice, a teaspoon of vanilla extract, and since i'm a cinnamon lover, i added about 2 teaspoons of cinnamon. The muffins came out moist and delicious (I baked them at 325F for about 22 minutes). Thank you for a great recipe!

I followed the recipe as it was and it turned out beautiful! It's my first time baking from scratch, so I am pretty excited it turned out well. My oldest sister makes delicious banana bread, but I wanted to try a lighter version and this one was it. I will add nuts to it next time because I've had banana bread with nuts before and they go so well with it.

I have made this recipe for a few years now and it is my kid's favorite. I often sub out the bananas for applesauce or pumpkin and it is still just as easy and yummy. It even works as muffins too!

I followed this recipe to the letter - just doubled it and baked it as muffins. (A double batch made about 30 regular sized muffins. Mine were baked in paper liners and took 15 minutes at 350 degrees.) It's wonderful. It has a really nice light texture for a lower fat muffin, without being overly sweet. I'll definitely make this one again.

I love this recipe. I substitute the margarine with unsweetened applesauce (1/4 cup plus 1 T). This banana bread disappears quickly at all family functions and no one knows that it is low fat.

Absolutely delicious! I made with 1/8 cup applesauce instead if the butter and 3 bananas. Next time I will try with sole da and egg beaters to make it even less fat and sugar!

This was nowhere near as good as regular versions of banana bread but it was alright for low fat.

The only changes I made to this recipe were subbing out the margarine for an equal amount of applesauce, and adding vanilla & chocolate chips. It tastes absolutely amazing, and is a way better choice nutrition-wise!

This was terrific. Simple and easy with wonderful results. Followed other reviewers' recommendations for replacing butter with applesauce. Perfect!

I just made this recipe last night and it turned out fabulous! The only thing I change was adding 1/2 cup more bananas. I would recommend this recipe to anyone.

Very good. We tried doubling the bananas only (as my husband loves banana) - DON'T!!

This is a good recipe for banana bread. I made it as written except that I added more bananas. Next time I might add some walnuts too.

Tastes good. I added some cranberries and walnuts and used whole wheat flour.

Delicious! I used half margarine/half applesauce and reduced the sugar to 1/2 cup. It's crusty outside and moist (but not too dense) inside. You could cook it at a lower temp if you wanted it less crusty.

I followed this recipe exactly, I didn't make changes. I did use butter instead of margarine, and I just used three bananas instead measuring them out because I've heard 1 cup of mashed bananas takes 2-3 bananas. This recipe makes excellent banana bread. I just finished a piece. The temperature/time ratio seems just about perfect, I was impressed because normally I have to bake bread for longer than the recipe calls for. I wanted a healthier option for banana bread so it would fit under the "bread" category, not "cake". I this recipe does it well, not comprimising on flavor or taste. This is a new one of my favorites. I think I'm going to have to go eat another slice!

very tasty, a little chewy but good. needs about 50 min.

Because I don't keep margerine on hand, I used butter. I also used brewed unsweetened double-strength (four ounces water to one tea bag) chai instead of plain water to add a little more flavor to the banana bread. I got 12 biggish muffins out of one recipe and they baked up nicely. Next time, I might cut the egg back by one and add in unsweetened applesauce and cut the sugar by half. This would be great with chopped pecans, too. My bananas were REALLY ripe so the bread was a little sweet for us. This was simple enough for my youngest to help me make which I appreciated.

I replaced the margarine in this recipe with 1/8 cup applesauce and the eggs with 6 tbs. egg substitute. This made it completely fat free. It still came out as moist and delicious as ever!!! With these changes, you should lower the oven temperature to 325 and bake it for 40-45 minutes depending on oven. Great fat free recipe!!

Made this as written except realized I was out of butter so I subbed apple sauce. I found it pretty bland and not enough banana flavour (and my bananas were very ripe). It was just ok for me but thx for sharing!

We enjoyed this! I followed other reviewers' feedback, and used applesauce and wheat flour.

So good! I added wheat flour in place of 2/3 of the white flour. Used 1/2 butter and 1/2 applesauce. Added 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, pinch of nutmeg, vanilla and almond extracts. Also added nuts and choc. chips. Used a little less banana, but I think whatever on that. Also used half water and half milk. Can taste good to add cinnamon/sugar on Pam sprayed pan.

Followed the directions exactly. My husband and daughter loved it! No complaints here. Came out full of flavor and moist.