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How was everyone’s Mother’s Day? Hopefully you spoiled your mom and if you are the mom hopefully you were spoiled! This year my birthday happened to fall on Mother’s Day so it was an extra special and fun day for my my mom and myself. To start off my 29th year I went on a 10 mile run. Even though I was tired (I’m just coming out of the hardest weeks of marathon training) I was grateful that I able to get out there and be running. Following my run I started making Mother’s Day breakfast for my mom. On the menu was a spinach tomato basil leek frittata, fresh fruit with lemon yogurt dip, bacon (a favorite of my mom’s), and the star of the breakfast was this whole wheat strawberry banana bread!
Banana bread is by far one of my favorite quick breads. With strawberries being in season right now I couldn’t resist adding them in and I’m so glad I did. They added an extra sweetness and looked beautiful nestled on top of the bread.
This recipe was inspired by Cookie and Kate’s Honey Whole Wheat Banana Bread, as well as the banana bread recipe in The Complete America’s Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook. I wanted to make this bread as healthy as I could, but still keep the flavor and moistness that is associated with good banana bread. I used all whole wheat pastry flour, applesauce as well as nonfat Greek yogurt to cut the amount of butter used, and to sweeten the bread I used only honey. The adjustments were successful and yielded a very moist and flavorful banana bread!
The bread was delicious all on it’s own, but since it was a special occasion I whipped up a strawberry cream cheese spread to go on top. I used low fat cream cheese, several strawberries chopped up into small pieces, and added honey to sweeten it. The result was delicious and went perfect on top of the bread!
I was so pleased with how the whole breakfast turned out, especially this bread! I can’t wait to make it again! The rest of the day was spent celebrating my birthday. My husband took me shopping at Sur la Table, my favorite cooking store. I finally got an ice cream maker! After shopping we went to my parents house for dinner. My mom made some delicious chicken kabobs as well as some steamed vegetables. The star of the meal however was the strawberry rhubarb crisp. I may or may not of had 3 servings…Hey! It’s my birthday! What did you do for your mom for Mother’s Day?
Whole Wheat Strawberry Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups white whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup honey, or maple syrup
- 2 cups ripe mashed bananas
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup diced strawberries
- 1 sliced strawberry for the top of the bread
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease and flour a 9x5 loaf pan and set aside.
- In a large bowl combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Whisk together and set aside.
- In another mixing bowl mash the bananas, add the Greek yogurt, eggs, melted butter and vanilla. Whisk together all of the wet ingredients until completely combined.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold together until just combined. Gently fold in the diced strawberries.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the loaf cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then transfer it to a wire cooling rack to finish cooling.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I am OBSESSSED with strawberry everything right now. I have a special strawberry bread I make every summer and seeing your beautiful loaf makes me want to move it up on the agenda!
I think you need to make your strawberry bread ASAP so I can get the recipe! I too am obsessed with strawberries right now, can’t get enough of them!
What a beautiful banana bread! Great idea to add some strawberries, it looks delicious!!
xox Amy
Thanks Amy, it was delicious! I hope you get a chance to make it.