Super High-Protein Banana Bread: A Post-Workout Treat!
- Updated on Mar 14, 2023
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Try this recipe for high-protein banana bread if you need a delicious breakfast or snack that’s easy to grab and get on with your day!
Ok, ok I hope you are excited to try this one! It is, without a doubt, the best banana bread I’ve ever eaten and I can’t wait to share it with you.
For starters, it’s a great breakfast option. But you could honestly eat it any time – it’s a great post workout treat!
Unlike traditional banana bread which has a lot of fat and refined sugar, I have crafted a healthier version that is not only delicious but is also going to help you hit those protein goals too.
I’ve chosen as many natural ingredients as I could and then boosted it with protein powder to make protein-packed banana bread.
Check it out!
Ingredients
Here are the fantastic ingredients that are included in this recipe.
Vanilla or cinnamon protein powder is my choice here as it offers enough sweetness and its protein content is going to help to keep you feeling fuller for longer and satisfied through to lunch.
Oats
Oats and whole wheat flour are used in combination as they both have good levels of fiber which aids digestion.
Sweet and salty
A little sugar is added to give some added sweetness. But don’t worry I balanced out the sweetness with some salt (a key tip in baking!)
Raising agent
Next is the baking soda which helps the high protein banana bread to rise. If you don’t have soda you can use baking powder instead that’s fine.
Spice
We’re going to pop in some cinnamon. It’s my favorite spice for this dish and compliments the bananas so well!
Nuts and seeds
Lastly, are the pumpkin seeds and pecans which are going to add some great health benefits and crunch to the dish.
Fruit
Bananas are obviously a key ingredient for protein banana bread recipes. And you’ve got to make sure they’re nice and ripe. When a banana has black spots on, it’s even better!
Dairy
Butter and eggs are classic baking ingredients and they work well in this recipe, but you could also look at alternatives if you want to make a vegan banana bread batter instead.
The final ingredient is Greek yogurt which is going to give us a really nice moist banana bread and a bit more protein power which is just what you want in this healthy breakfast!
How many calories are in protein banana bread?
There are a great number of calories for a breakfast in this recipe. It has 306 calories which means it’s a bit over what I would suggest you have as a dessert but for a meal, it’s a great option.
It also has an awesome 15 grams of protein which is really going to help you hit your daily protein goals from the get-go!
Here you can check out the rest of the overview of nutritional information:
kcal 306kcal
Carbs 37g
Fat 13g
Protein 15g
Health benefits
My star ingredients in this recipe are Greek yogurt, protein powder, and eggs which are all going to give us a great amount of protein.
Protein is a building block that has lots of great benefits to your health including supporting the growth of muscles, reducing cravings, and giving you a higher level of satiety (which could even aid weight loss).
If you’re looking for more high-protein meal inspiration I think you’ll enjoy this collection of high-protein recipes or, why not download this Free 7-Day High-Protein Meal Plan.
Bananas and pecans are great for heart health and lowering blood pressure due to the potassium inside.
Oats are great for lowering cholesterol, and supporting your digestive system, and are naturally gluten-free.
Finally, the pumpkin seeds and cinnamon are both high in antioxidants so this recipe is packed with goodness for the whole family!
How to make this healthy banana bread recipe
Time needed: 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Let’s take a look at the easy steps to make this recipe:
- Prep time:
Preheat the oven and grease and line the loaf tin with parchment paper.
- Batter time:
Melt the butter in a small bowl. But be careful not to burn it! Next in a large mixing bowl mash 3 overripe bananas with a fork.
- Mix time:
Add in the oats, protein powder, greek yogurt, eggs, brown sugar, and melted butter. Mix everything with a whisk until it’s all incorporated.
Sieve the flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon on top of the wet ingredients, then mix until there are no dry clumps of flour left. Fold ⅔ of the pumpkin seeds and pecans.
- Decor time:
Add banana cake batter to the prepared loaf pan. Top with remaining pumpkin seeds and pecans.
- Bake time:
Pop it in the oven.
The banana bread will be done when it is deeply golden brown on top and when you press gently with your hand the crust springs back up (no indentation), and when inserting a toothpick or cake tester it comes out dry.
Allow to cool on a wire rack before serving.
Protein powder banana bread FAQs
Here are the answers to your top questions about banana bread:
How to store banana bread?
Baked goods like banana bread store really well in an airtight container for up to 4 days. It can also be frozen for a good couple of months if you wanted to double the recipe and put one away for later.
What to serve with banana bread?
This healthy protein banana bread is really great on its own but if you want to serve it with something then a drizzle of maple syrup or jam works well but be aware it will add to the total calories.
Can you make banana bread ahead of time?
Yes, you can make banana bread ahead of time as it can be frozen for a couple of months.
When you’re ready to eat it just take a portion out of the freezer and let it thaw out for a few hours before you’re ready to eat it.
How do you add protein to baking?
It is easy to add protein to baking, you can do it by adding common ingredients like eggs, peanut butter, almond flour, and greek yogurt.
Or, you can add artificial protein in the form of a whey protein powder or a plant-based protein powder.
Can you replace flour with protein powder?
Yes, you can replace some of the flour with protein powder.
However you can’t replace all of it (I recommend no more than 1/3) as protein powder doesn’t have the same properties as flour and therefore you will still need the flour in order to help your bake rise.
But remember this is already a protein powder banana bread, so I wouldn’t add too much more!
Recipe variations
- Different protein powder: You could change the flavour of the protein powder. How about making a chocolate banana bread by using chocolate protein powder or adding in some dark chocolate chips. Chocolate chip banana bread is so yummy! I really like cinammon in mine!
- Different sugar: If you can’t get hold of brown sugar you can always use white sugar, like castor.
- Different tray: If you don’t have a loaf tin, you could always use a muffin tin and make banana protein muffins. They would be easy to take out and about.
More recipes like this
If you love this take a look at these recipes too:
High-Protein Banana Bread
Boost your protein goals in just 15 minutes! This is the best banana bread I’ve ever tasted and it’s super easy to make!
- Preheat the oven to 180 C / 350 F.
- Prepare a loaf cake pan covered with parchment paper. Approximate size of 20 x 36 cm.
- Melt the butter in a small pot. Allow it to get golden brown, this will improve the flavor. Just be careful not to burn it.
¼ cup butter
- In a large bowl add the 3 peeled bananas. Crush with a fork until you have a puree with some small lumps.
3 bananas
- Add oats, protein powder, Greek yogurt, eggs, brown sugar and melted butter. Mix with a whisk or hand blender until everything is incorporated.
½ cup protein powder, ⅓ cup rolled oats, ⅔ cup Greek yogurt, 2 eggs, ⅛ cup brown sugar
- Sieve the flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon on top of the bowl. Then mix until there are no dry clumps of flour left.
1 ¾ cup wholegrain flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 ½ tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp salt
- Fold ⅔ of the pumpkin seeds and pecans.
¼ cup pumpkin seeds, ¼ cup pecans
- Add banana cake batter to the prepared loaf pan. Top with remaining pumpkin seeds and pecans.
- Bake for 45 mins to an hour, depending on the oven. The banana bread will be done when it is deeply golden brown on top, when you press gently with your hand the crust springs back up (no indentation), and when inserting a toothpick or cake tester it comes out dry (not wet batter) with some crumbs stuck to the sides (not completely dry).
- Allow to cool before serving.
Nutrition Facts
High-Protein Banana Bread
Amount per Serving
% Daily Value*
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Well I hope you love it as much as I do! This is the best protein banana bread recipe in my opinion, and I’m sure banana bread lovers will agree!
If you want more meal inspiration take a look at this weekly high-protein meal plan.
