Can Banana Bread Be Low Fodmap?
That was the question when I tried to use low fodmap swap outs for my old banana bread recipe that called for ingredients not friendly to the IBS gut. Those ingredients were buttermilk, AP flour, and honey – all high in fodmaps that could cause IBS flares. The hope was to swap out the ingredients but keep that lovely dense, rich banana flavor everyone loves.
After several unhappy tries, I think I hit the jackpot with what I am calling low fodmap Banana Bread, (so clever right?). Ok, not clever, but definitely cleverly made because it is moist, flavorful and dense in spite of the changes I needed to make.
While I use AP flour here, many IBS folk are sensitive to the fructan in wheat, even if they tested negative for gluten sensitivity. So I called King Arthur flour and they said that you can use their King Arthur Measure for Measure GF flour for AP flour with good results. So use a measure for measure GF flour and your banana bread will be gluten free but still turn out well.
This recipe is also lactose free when you use lactose free yogurt and milk. If lactose free milk and yogurt still cause problems for you, use an alternative milk and apple sauce. Alternative milks such as almond/coconut milk are rich and delicious, but are not high in fodmaps. If you like the tang of buttermilk in your banana bread, just add two teaspoons of cider vinegar to your alternative milk and let it sit for five minutes. Voila! Homemade buttermilk that will not hurt you, as real buttermilk might.
Another fodmap issue is honey which is high in fodmaps. Instead of honey, use maple syrup. Maple syrup is similar to honey but without the offending fodmaps, so it is IBS safe to use.
Finally, I also used oil instead of butter. Many IBS folk do not use dairy because of lactose issues, even though butter is not high in lactose, so oil is a good alternative that still tastes delicious in banana bread.
In spite of all my swap outs, this low fodmap banana bread kept the integrity and flavor that I wanted it to have. Happiness.
I found this recipe so yummy that I used it as a morning treat. I can’t always say that about every recipe after I substitute ingredients to make them fodmap friendly.
It also kept its moist quality for a week, even though I did not refrigerate it. I just kept it wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil.
Ingredients:
3 medium bananas
1/4 cup Maple syrup or 1/4 cup brown sugar, or 8 – 10 packets of Equal or Trader Joe’s Stevia (or to taste) – stevia is a natural 0 point sugar. (No Honey!)
1/4 cup lactose free Greek yogurt, or applesauce, if dairy is an issue for you
1/4 cup coconut oil or other oil
1 and 1/2 cups AP white flour (Or substitute King Arthur Gluten Free Measure for Measure flour.(Their King Arthur Baker told me to substitute it cup for cup of AP flour, if gluten is an issue)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp. (yes, a whole tablespoon) or more cinnamon
1 tsp pure vanilla
2 eggs
1/4 cup lactose free milk, Almond milk or other alternative milk
1/4 – 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1/2 cup GF chocolate chunks (reduce cinnamon if using them) (Optional)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325° if using a dark pan or 350° if shiny aluminum
Spray an 8″ x 4″ loaf pan with oil spray and dust with flour. Set aside.
In a bowl, place flour, salt, cinnamon baking soda and baking powder. Whisk until combined.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, place the bananas. With the mixer on low, mix the bananas until they are well mashed.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the yogurt,(or applesauce), oil, maple syrup, (or sugar substitute), 2 eggs, almond milk and vanilla. Keeping the speed on low, add this mixture to the bananas. Mix until combined.
With the mixer on low speed, slowly add in the flour mixture until all is blended and combined, but do not beat hard or long. Turn off the mixer; using a spatula, scrape down the bowl, making sure all the flour is mixed in. Lift off and scrape the paddle, adding the paddle batter to the bowl. Stir all together. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, stir in the nuts and chocolate chunks, if using.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 50 minutes. Test with a toothpick. Bread is done when a toothpick tester comes out clean.
Leave in pan on a rack for ten minutes. Then take bread out of the pan and place on the cooling rack and leave there until completely cool.
You can serve it now or wrap in plastic and then in aluminum foil and leave it on the counter for several days, cutting off slices when you want to eat some banana bread. You can also freeze this bread and use whenever.
In this picture I added some farm butter and raspberry jam for my first slice. Yum!
Low Fodmap Banana Bread
Equipment
- 8 x 4 loaf pan
Ingredients
- 3 medium bananas
- 1/4 cup maple syrup or brown sugar or alternative sugar
- 1/4 cup coconut or other oil
- 1/4 cup lactose free Greek Yogurt, or apple sauce
- 1/4 cup Almond milk or lactose free milk (or other alternative milk
- 1 1/2 cup White AP Flour or King Arthur Measure for Measure GF flour
- 2 Eggs
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp Baking soda
- 1/2 tsp Baking powder
- 1 Tbsp cinnamon (or less. I love cinnamon)
- 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1/4 cup Pecans, chopped optional
- 1/2 cup chocolate chunks (GF chocolate chunks) optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees for a dark colored pan or 350 for a light colored pan. Grease and flour or spray a loaf pan (8 X 4) with cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, salt, cinnamon, baking soda and baking powder. Set aside.
- In another bowl whisk together the yogurt (or applesauce), oil, maple syrup, eggs, milk and vanilla. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle and set on low, place the bananas. Beat on low until bananas are creamy. Still on low, add in the liquid mixture.
- Still on low, beat in the flour mixture until all is well combined. Do not increase speed or beat on higher speed.
- Stop mixer and with a spatula, scrape batter off the paddle. Remove the paddle and using a wooden spoon or spatula, scrape down the bowl and stir in the flour until all is incorporated. Stir in the chopped pecans and chocolate chunks until they are well distributed throughout the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, place in the oven and bake until a toothpick comes out clean. About 50 minutes.
- When the banana bread is golden and baked, remove from the oven and place the loaf pan on a cooling rack. After 10 minutes, remove the banana bread from the pan and place the bread on the cooling rack.
- When cool, wrap well and freeze, or eat that day. Keep left over bread wrapped in plastic wrap and foil. Can keep on the counter, keep in the fridge or freeze.
