Whole Wheat Protein Banana Bread with Toasted Walnut Crust

Banana bread has become somewhat of a snack staple in my life these days.  Probably because I usually buy bananas to have with breakfast and end up not eating them until it's too late (oops).  But they're perfect for making this deliciousness to keep on hand for a snack!  Anyone else have this problem?

Today's recipe comes from my mom's side of the family, passed down to her from her great-grandmother.  The original recipe is super delicious, but I've switched up a few of the ingredients to make it a bit healthier.  I swapped in agave for regular sugar, coconut oil for butter, and added in Bob's Red Mill Protein Powder for an extra protein punch and fiber boost.  I also topped it with walnuts and coconut flakes for an added crunch, but feel free to experiment - other awesome additions could be dark chocolate chips (a snack that doubles as dessert!), cranberries, chia seeds, you name it.  That's one thing I love about baked goods like this - you can add in whatever you want and it almost always turns out awesome!

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Whole Wheat Protein Banana Bread w/ Toasted Walnut Crust

INGREDIENTS:

• 2/3 cup agave (substitute for 1 cup sugar)
• 1/2 cup coconut oil (substitute for 1/2 cup butter)
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 cup Bob's Red Mill protein powder (I used the unflavored protein & fiber nutritional booster, but you can use any flavor you'd like)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup sour milk (1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar + add milk to 1/2 cup line)
• 2 ripe bananas, mashed
• crushed walnuts (for topping)
• unsweetened coconut flakes (for topping)

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Preheat oven to 350˚
• Spray loaf pan with non-stick baking spray
• Mix all dry ingredients together in large bowl
• In a separate small bowl, beat together agave, coconut oil, and eggs until just combined
• Combine wet mixture with dry ingredients
• Prepare sour milk and add in
• Add mashed bananas and mix until all ingredients are combined
• Pour into loaf pan and top with crushed walnuts & coconut flakes
• Bake for 60 minutes or until knife/toothpick comes out clean
• Enjoy!

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Yum yum yum!  I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do!  AND - in case you missed it or need some inspiration for other healthy delicious snacks, check out these Chocolate Chai Protein Bites (inspired by one of my favorite drinks - the chocolate chai martini).  Enjoy and have a great rest of your weekend!

Readers: chat with me!  Do you bake banana bread often?  What healthy substitutes are you making in your baked goods?  Do you use protein powder often?  What are some of your favorite snacks to have on hand when life gets busy?

Chocolate Chai Protein Bites (+ Bob's Red Mill Protein Powder GIVEAWAY!)

Today I'm excited to share my first-ever protein bite recipe with you!  Recently I got to try out the new protein powder nutritional boosters from Bob's Red Mill and let me tell you, they're super tasty.  The chai flavor is my favorite so far because it's so different from any other protein powder I've tasted.  But before we get into the recipe for these yummy 2-bite morsels, here's a bit more info about the protein powders.

These protein powders are a new product line from Bob's Red Mill.  I'm excited that I got a chance to try them, and even more excited to give one lucky reader a chance to try a flavor too!  (Keep reading for the giveaway details at the end.)  I've been using Bob's Red Mill flours, hot cereals, and baking products for a long time now, so it's a trusted household brand.  These are obviously great for protein shakes, but also for baked goods or snacks like these bites.  They're gluten-free and vegan (made from pea protein) if those dietary needs are important to you, and they contain chia seeds & probiotics, which give you added fiber and help aid in digestion.  (Fair warning about the chia seeds: they're not ground up with the powder, they're whole and mixed in.  So when you first open the bag, you'll see little black specks in the powder.  Freaked me out at first!  Hah!)

I'll be honest, I'm not a big protein shake person in my day to day, but I DO try to incorporate protein powder into baked goods or snacks as much as I can.  Usually I just use regular vanilla, but this chai flavor is AWESOME!  It's a bit strong, I'll warn you, so if you want a subtle hint of chai, halve the amount you use in this recipe (and add in another neutral flavor like vanilla or use a protein powder that's unflavored).

I know I'm late to the party when it comes to protein bites, but I'm happy I finally joined.  These are the perfect little 2-bite snack to keep on hand when you're at the office, out and about running errands, or for a pre- or post-workout snack.  Keep reading for the recipe and be sure to enter the giveaway to win a full-size package for yourself!

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Chocolate Chai Protein Bites

Yield: 10 bites

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/3 cup quick oats
• 1/4 cup pitted dates
• 1/2 cup peanut butter (or nut butter of your choice)
• 1/4 cup Bob's Red Mill chai protein powder
• 3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 Tbsp agave (honey or maple syrup also work)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• handful dark chocolate chips

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Use a food processor to grind oats into a fine powder
• Add dates and grind again
• Add all other ingredients and grind together into a sticky solid consistency
• Form the mixture into bite-sized balls by rolling in your palms
• Optional: roll the balls in whatever coating you like (coconut flakes, cocoa powder, chocolate chips, etc.)

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Enter to WIN the flavor of your choice!

Woot woot!  Giveaway time!  I'm stoked to offer this giveaway since normally each pack would run you $30 (kind of a lot for a 16-oz. bag), so get on it and enter below!  Tell me what flavor you'd choose and how you would use it.  You have until the end of the day on Tuesday 7/19 to enter - a winner will be chosen Wednesday 7/20!  Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And if you need your Bob's Red Mill products right now, or they just so happen to be on your shopping list for the weekend, here's a coupon for you!

Readers: chat with me!  Do you use protein powder in your every day nutrition?  How do you use it?  Have you ever made protein bites before?  How are you fueling your summer and staying #SummerStrong?

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Fit Approach on behalf of Bob's Red Mill.  While I was gifted the product and compensated for my time, all opinions and this recipe are my own (just like always!).

Quick & Easy Peanut Butter Banana Greek Yogurt Bowl

Popping in real quick this morning to bring you a delicious yogurt bowl recipe I made yesterday for breakfast.  I usually have some version of this breakfast bowl practically every morning (along with an english muffin), but this one turned out so good, I had to share.  It packs a nutritional punch with 30 grams of protein thanks to 2 cups of Dannon Oikos Triple Zero Greek yogurt, and has lots of healthy fats thanks to Teddie Natural Peanut Butter.  It's pretty low in sugar, too (each yogurt has 7g), and can be modified any way you choose.  As if that's not good enough, it's ready in literally 2 minutes (and if you're really hungry, eaten in less than that).  Y.U.M.

I highly recommend this for breakfast (especially if you've got a sweet tooth in the morning) because with it's high protein content, this bowl will keep you satiated for longer than, say, that bowl of cereal.  It certainly makes a great snack, too, or dessert if you add in some cocoa powder.  Keep reading for the recipe, and make sure to pin it to that breakfast Pinterest board for a go-to meal when you're in a hurry.

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Quick & Easy Peanut Butter Banana Greek Yogurt Bowl

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 5.3-oz cups Dannon Oikos Triple Zero banana Greek yogurt 
• 1 fresh banana, sliced
• 2 spoonfuls natural no-salt-added peanut butter (I use Teddie Organic)
• handful of granola (flavor of choice)
• unsweetened coconut flakes

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Scoop yogurt into a bowl
• Top with sliced banana, peanut butter, granola, and coconut flakes
• Enjoy!

Next time I'm probably going to add some unsweetened cocoa powder and chocolate protein powder for a chocolate kick and to add a bit more protein.  Other additions I'd like to try: chia seeds, honey, strawberries, blueberries, flavored peanut butter... the list is endless!

Readers: chat with me!  What's your go-to breakfast on a busy morning?  Are you a fan of Greek yogurt?  If so, what's your favorite?  Are you a savory or sweet breakfast type?  Have you jumped on the smoothie/yogurt/breakfast bowl bandwagon yet?