Yield: 1 loaf (10 slices)

Ingredients

Wet Ingredients

• 2 ripe bananas (about 1 cup mashed)
• ½ cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
• ¼ cup honey or pure maple syrup
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients

• 1½ cups whole wheat pastry flour or all-purpose flour
• ½ cup vanilla or unflavored protein powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)

Mix-ins

• ½ cup dark chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons chocolate chips for topping (optional)

---

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper.
3. Mash bananas until smooth.
4. Whisk together:
   • mashed bananas
   • Greek yogurt
   • honey
   • eggs
   • vanilla
5. In another bowl combine:
   • flour
   • protein powder
   • baking soda
   • baking powder
   • salt
   • cinnamon
6. Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients just until combined.
7. Stir in chocolate chips.
8. Pour batter into prepared pan.
9. Sprinkle extra chocolate chips on top.
10. Bake 45–55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
11. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
12. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely before slicing.

---

Nutrition Information (Approximate)

Per slice (1 of 10)

Nutrition will vary depending on the protein powder, yogurt, flour, and chocolate chips used.

---

Recipe Tips

• Use bananas with plenty of brown spots for the sweetest flavor.
• Don’t overmix the batter or the bread may become dense.
• Full-fat Greek yogurt makes a richer loaf; nonfat keeps calories lower.
• If using whey protein, you may need to add 1–2 tablespoons of milk because whey absorbs moisture.
• Let the bread cool before slicing for cleaner slices.

---

Storage

• Room temperature: 3 days in an airtight container.
• Refrigerator: Up to 1 week.
• Freezer: Up to 3 months. Wrap individual slices for easy thawing.

---

Variations

• Add ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans.
• Replace chocolate chips with blueberries.
• Add 2 tablespoons peanut butter to the batter.
• Use maple syrup instead of honey.
• Stir in 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed or chia seeds for extra fiber.

---

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I use flavored Greek yogurt?
Yes. Vanilla Greek yogurt works well. Reduce the honey slightly if it’s sweetened.

Q: Can I make it without protein powder?
Yes. Replace the ½ cup protein powder with an additional ½ cup flour.

Q: Can I make it gluten-free?
Yes. Use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour.

Q: Why is my banana bread dry?
Too much flour or protein powder, overbaking, or overmixing can dry it out.

Q: Can I use frozen bananas?
Yes. Thaw completely and drain excess liquid before mashing.

Q: Can I reduce the sweetener?
Yes. Very ripe bananas allow you to reduce the honey or maple syrup by about half.

Q: What protein powder works best?
Vanilla whey, whey isolate, or a baking-friendly plant-based protein powder all work. Plant-based powders may produce a denser texture and may need a little extra liquid.

Q: Can I make muffins instead?
Yes. Fill muffin cups about ⅔ full and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 18–22 minutes.

Q: Can I freeze slices?
Yes. Wrap each slice individually and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm briefly in the microwave.