Moist quick bread with a tender crumb that’s packed full of fruit and flavor. Healthy Pumpkin Banana Bread uses applesauce, bananas, and pumpkin in place of butter and has only 1/2 cup brown sugar in the whole recipe!
Can you even believe this is the very first pumpkin recipe I’ve put out this fall?
I can’t.
I’ve been stockpiling pumpkin for at least 2 months, and at one point I had a million great ideas, but I didn’t write them down. and then there were just soooo many gorgeous pumpkin recipes all over the internets that my ideas flew right out of my head.
It’s a job hazard.
So this Healthy Pumpkin Banana Bread was actually Healthy Peach Banana Bread that I made for my friends at Food Fanatic.
But before we talk about delicious quick breads and things, can we just take a second to talk about The Walking Dead? I need to talk about it. Because that premiere on Sunday was so serious.
I was on the couch like a huge ball of stress with my phone in my hand, both afraid to be interrupted and totally eager for #TheWalkingDead live tweets.
I swear twitter is what keeps the networks in business, because without it who in their right mind would sit through all those commercials? Commercial breaks are for reading commentary from people 10000 X wittier than I could ever be.
Also I never ever watch anything when it actually airs. This show is a major exception. And last night Chad, who never actually has the patience to watch any series in the history of the world (he quit on me 3 episodes before the end of Breaking Bad, you guys), said to me last night, “I can’t wait till Sunday!”
Yup. It’s like that.
Okay back to the bread. THIS BREAD!!!
There’s NO BUTTER. Only applesauce, bananas, and pumpkin puree. I added oats and used just 1/2 cup of brown sugar in the whole recipe. THAT MEANS that this bread clocks in at just under 90 calories a slice. It makes a perfect breakfast on-the-run or afternoon snack.
It’s easy to make [I based it on my very first recipe I ever made by myself when I was a kid] and I looove it.
To make this Healthy Pumpkin Banana Bread you’re going to…
… follow the recipe below EXACTLY, but you will swap the 1 medium peach for 3/4 cup of canned pumpkin puree. And I definitely added 1/2 cup chopped walnuts.
You also might want to try this decidedly unhealthy but super delicious cranberry butter.
And then you are going to talk to me all about how much we loathe gum-chewing guy and how Carol has definitely redeemed herself, but also where is Beth???!!!
Janita
Sunday 27th of November 2022
This is my “go to” muffin recipe now. I love this recipe, it is so easy to make and I like that it uses brown sugar and applesauce to sweeten them. Love it. 💜
Heather Tullos
Monday 28th of November 2022
Thanks so much, Janita! Happy to hear you love this!
Gail
Wednesday 7th of November 2018
How big are the bananas you use ? Do they make a full cup worth ?
Amber Scamehorn
Monday 30th of October 2017
I don't like to comment with changes, but this was so good, I just have to! I have 2 one year olds and a four year old. We don't need to eat more applesauce! So, I replaced the applesauce with squash, used 2 bananas plus 1/2 cup squash puree instead of 3 bananas. I think it could go to 1 banana to get more healthy squash/pumpkin in. (I baked a banana squash for this, but any kind would work ) I also added pumpkin pie spice, because it's wonderful, and healthy! I put the whole batch in a parchment lined 8x8 pan for less cleanup. Adults loved it with and without cinnamon honey butter. Thanks for the recipe! I will try it next summer with peaches and other fruit.
Heather Tullos
Wednesday 1st of November 2017
Thanks so much for your comment, Amber! I really don't mind changes - I sort of love to see how my recipes evolve and change, and how people make them work to suit their needs! Thanks for reading!
Alison
Wednesday 2nd of August 2017
Am I missing something? Where is the pumpkin in this recipe? It says Peach Banana.
Heather Tullos
Thursday 3rd of August 2017
From the text of this post: "You’re just gonna follow the recipe below EXACTLY, but you will swap the 1 medium peach for 3/4 cup of canned pumpkin puree. And I definitely added 1/2 cup chopped walnuts."
Reading is amazing.
Heidi
Tuesday 13th of December 2016
OMG I came for the healthy banana pumpkin bread recipe but I'll stay for the walking dead comments. Hahaha!!
Heather Tullos
Tuesday 13th of December 2016
Ha! Hi Heidi! I published this in 2014 and I still feel EXACTLY THE SAME WAY. Still watch this in real time, still obsessively check twitter on the commercial breaks. Still hate the gum chewing guy (except he died) - and Dwight! He's the worst.