High-Protein Banana Bread (Printable)

Moist banana bread with Greek yogurt and protein powder, ideal for a nutritious start or post-exercise boost.

# What you'll need:

→ Wet Ingredients

01 - 3 medium ripe bananas, mashed
02 - 2 large eggs
03 - 1 cup plain Greek yogurt (2% or fat-free)
04 - 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
05 - 1/4 cup light olive oil or melted coconut oil
06 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Dry Ingredients

07 - 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
08 - 1/2 cup vanilla or unflavored whey protein powder
09 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
10 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
11 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
12 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Optional Add-ins

13 - 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
14 - 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together mashed bananas, eggs, Greek yogurt, honey or maple syrup, oil, and vanilla extract until smooth.
03 - In a separate bowl, stir together whole wheat flour, protein powder, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
04 - Gradually fold dry ingredients into wet mixture, stirring until just combined. Do not overmix.
05 - Gently fold in nuts or chocolate chips if desired.
06 - Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and smooth the top surface.
07 - Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
08 - Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It actually tastes indulgent while sneaking 9 grams of protein into each slice, so you're not sacrificing flavor for fitness.
  • The Greek yogurt keeps it impossibly moist without requiring chocolate chips or extra oil, which means you can feel genuinely good about eating it guilt-free.
  • It comes together in 15 minutes of prep work, making it perfect for someone who wants homemade quality on a busy weekday.
02 -
  • Don't overmix once you combine wet and dry ingredients or the bread will turn out dense and tough instead of tender—your spatula should barely see any flour streaks and then you stop.
  • Greek yogurt is essential here, not just nice-to-have, because regular yogurt has too much water and will make the bread gummy no matter how long you bake it.
  • Check your banana bread at 45 minutes because ovens vary wildly, and baking it too long will dry it out completely despite the yogurt's best efforts.
03 -
  • Add 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce to the wet ingredients if you want extra moisture and a subtle apple undertone that plays nicely with cinnamon and banana.
  • Substitute almond flour for half the whole wheat flour if you want a nuttier flavor and an additional protein boost without changing the texture noticeably.
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