Heart Healthy Banana Bread

• Bananas are a great source of potassium, a mineral essential for heart health. They also contain fiber, which can help regulate cholesterol levels.
• Whole wheat flour provides fiber and complex carbohydrates for sustained energy.
• Fat-free sour cream has a creamy texture that helps to create a moist banana bread.
• Unsalted butter provides calcium and other vitamins that are not found in vegetable oils.
• Pecans and walnuts add crunch and extra nutrients to make this an even healthier banana bread.

This banana bread recipe is easy to make, but here are a few ways to make it even easier.

• Read the entire recipe before you start making the banana bread. This ensures that there are no missed steps while preparing the banana bread.
• Use room temperature ingredients, especially the butter, eggs and sour cream, to help create a smooth and creamy batter. If your ingredients are cold, they won’t blend together, which creates a lumpy batter and a dense banana bread.
• Make sure you use very ripe bananas to help give your banana bread extra sweetness and banana flavor.
• Carefully measure the whole wheat flour. Spoon the flour into a measuring cup and use the back of a knife to level it off. 
• Do not over-mix. Mix the flour with the wet ingredients until it's just combined for a tender banana bread. 
• Bake at the right temperature. Bake the bread at 350°F (175°C) until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Let the healthy banana bread cool completely before slicing to prevent it from crumbling.

Ready to make healthy banana bread but your bananas aren’t overly ripe? Don’t worry, we have an easy trick for quickly ripening your bananas. You can place the unpeeled bananas on a baking sheet and bake them at 300°F for 5 to 10 minutes until the bananas are soft and warm. The longer you bake them, the sweeter the bananas will be. Just be sure to let them cool completely before adding the mashed bananas to your batter!