Vegan Banana Bread with Spinach

If you’re looking for a way to sneak in some extra veggies into your day, try this green spinach banana bread recipe. It’s easy to make, vegan, kid-friendly, and most importantly – delicious! I’ve provided a lower-sugar variation in the recipe notes to make this healthier.

Ingredients Overview for Vegan Banana Bread with Spinach

Overripe bananas

The overripe bananas are a crucial ingredient in this recipe because they make the bread moist and delicious. They also add a natural sweetness to the bread, so you don’t need to add as much sugar.

They also have health benefits, including fiber, potassium, and vitamin C. This recipe is a great way to use any brown bananas at the bottom of your fruit bowl! I often buy old bananas discounted on a quick sale at my local greengrocer and freeze them on hand.

Chia seeds

Chia seeds are a superfood that is packed with health benefits. They are a key ingredient in this recipe because they bind all the ingredients together. They act as a vegan-friendly egg replacement.

As a bonus, chia seeds are also high in fiber, protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidants, making them a great addition to any diet. Some studies have shown they can improve blood sugar control, help with weight loss, and reduce inflammation.

Chia seeds are also gluten-free and can be added to smoothies, yogurt, baked goods, or made into chia pudding.

Soy milk

Soy milk is a plant-based drink made from soybeans. It is a good source of protein, calcium, and vitamin D and has been shown to have health benefits, such as reducing the risk of heart disease and cancer.

Soy milk can be used in baking as a dairy-free alternative to cow’s milk. When fortified, it has similar nutritional value to cow’s milk, making it a healthy choice for people who don’t consume dairy products. It’s the most versatile and most nutritious plant milk available.

Mild vegetable oil

Vegetable oil is the perfect ingredient for this recipe because it helps bind all ingredients together and moistens the bread. It also has a mild flavor that doesn’t overpower the other flavors in the bread. As a bonus, it’s often high in monounsaturated fats and low in saturated fats. It is generally a healthier choice compared to butter.

Fresh baby spinach

Fresh baby spinach is used in this recipe because it is a great way to sneak some extra veggies into your day. Spinach is an excellent source of nutrients, including fiber, protein, vitamins A, C, and K, and minerals such as iron and calcium. It also has a high content of antioxidants, which can help protect the body against disease. Some studies have shown that consuming spinach may help reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, and age-related macular degeneration. Fresh baby spinach is an excellent addition to any diet and provides many health benefits.

Vanilla extract

The vanilla extract is used in this recipe because it has a delicious, subtle flavor that pairs well with the bananas and spinach. Traditionally, it has been a favorite of bakers as it takes the edge off the smell of raw eggs and enhances the flavors of other vital ingredients like sugar, milk, chocolate, etc. However, in this recipe, vanilla will take the edge off the spinach flavor and enhance the natural sweetness of the bananas and raw sugar.

Raw sugar

Sugar is a critical ingredient in this recipe because it helps to enhance the natural sweetness of the overripe bananas and masks the flavor of the spinach.

Raw sugar is a type of sugar that is made from cane juice. It is often less processed than other types of sugar and contains more minerals and vitamins.

It also has a lower glycemic index than some other types of sugar, meaning it doesn’t cause quite as much of a spike in blood sugar levels (although it is still lovely!). Overall, raw sugar is a generally healthier alternative to other types of more processed sweeteners.

Plain flour

This Green Spinach Banana Bread recipe calls for Plain flour as one of its key ingredients. Plain flour is a wheat flour milled to remove the bran and the germ. This leaves the starch behind, making it a more refined flour. It is often used in cakes, pastries, and other desserts because of its smooth texture and mild flavor. In this recipe, Plain flour works well because it helps to bind all the ingredients together and makes the bread super moist. It also has a low gluten content, meaning it is easier to bake with, resulting in a softer texture.

Baking powder

Baking powder and baking soda are two critical ingredients in this Green Spinach Banana Bread recipe because they leaven the bread and make it light and fluffy.

Leavening is the process of causing a dough or batter to rise, and baking powder is a type of leavening agent that contains baking soda and an acidic ingredient like cream of tartar. This combination causes a chemical reaction that produces carbon dioxide gas, which causes the bread to rise and gives it a light, fluffy texture.

Substitutions for Ingredients in Vegan Banana Bread

If you’re looking for a healthier version of banana bread, this Green Spinach Banana Bread is a great option. It’s made with raw sugar and vegetable oil instead of butter and includes fresh baby spinach and chia seeds to boost the nutritional value. Plus, it tastes delicious!

If you don’t have all the ingredients on hand, try some of these swaps:

• Flaxseed meal for chia seeds
•  Coconut oil for mild vegetable oil
•  Frozen spinach for fresh baby spinach (but be sure to thaw it and squeeze out the excess water before blending)
•  Any other milk of choice instead of soy milk
•  Any other sugar instead of raw sugar (but beware – depending on which kind you use, it will alter the sweetness of the finished product!)
• Lower sugar variation – I’ve tested this recipe with just 1/4 cup of sugar and it still works well.

Recipe for Vegan Banana Bread

Yield: 10 slices

• 2 large overripe bananas
• 2 tbsp chia seeds
• 1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk or milk of choice
• 1/3 cup mild vegetable oil can be substituted with melted coconut oil
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
• 1 tsp vanilla extract optional
• 2/3 cup raw sugar
• 2 cups plain flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven and lightly grease or line a loaf pan.
2. Combine all the wet and fresh ingredients (plus the chia seeds) in a blender and blend until smooth.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: sugar, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Pour the banana mixture into the bowl and mix.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 50 – 1 hour, or until a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean when inserted into the center of the bread.
5. Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Enjoy!

Nutrition for Vegan Banana Bread with Spinach

This recipe has approximately 209 calories, 26 grams of carbs, 7 grams of fats, and 5 grams of proteins.

Storage instructions for Vegan Banana Bread

This Green Spinach Banana Bread is a healthy and delicious alternative to traditional banana bread and is easy to make! The recipe yields 10 slices, so there are plenty of leftovers for the week.

The best way to store leftover Green Spinach Banana Bread is by wrapping it in aluminum foil and placing it in an airtight container. It will stay fresh this way for up to 3-4 days. You can also freeze the bread for up to 2 months; just be sure to thaw it before serving. Enjoy!

Conclusion

This Green Spinach Banana Bread is a healthy and delicious alternative to traditional banana bread and is easy to make! The recipe yields 10 slices, so there are plenty of leftovers for the week.

The best way to store leftover Green Spinach Banana Bread is by wrapping it in aluminum foil and placing it in an airtight container. It will stay fresh this way for up to 3-4 days. You can also freeze the bread for up to 2 months; just be sure to thaw it before serving. Have you tried this recipe? Would your kids eat it? Let me know what you think in the comments below!

FAQs

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Green Spinach Banana Bread

This Super Green Banana Bread is a delicious way to get some extra vegetables into your day! Sweet and moist, loaded with healthy Omega 3s from chia seeds, plus spinach for fibre and antioxidants.

Course Snack

Cuisine American, Australian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 10 serves

Calories 251kcal

Cost $5

Equipment

• Loaf tin

Ingredients

• 2 large overripe bananas
• 2 tbsp chia seeds
• 1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk or milk of choice
• 1/3 cup mild vegetable oil can substitute with melted coconut oil
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
• 1 tsp vanilla extract optional
• 2/3 cup raw sugar see notes for lower sugar option
• 2 cups plain flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Lightly grease a loaf tin.
• In a large mixing bowl, sift flour, baking soda, baking powder together. Add salt and sugar, stir to combine.
• In a blender, combine peeled bananas, chia seeds, soy milk, vegetable oil, spinach leaves and vanilla extract. Blitz until smooth.
• Pour the blended wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir until just combined (don't over-mix).
• Pour batter into greased loaf tin, then bake for 50 mins. Insert skewer in centre to check if done – if it comes out clean it should be ready. If it comes out with batter stuck to it, place it back in the oven for a further five mins and test again. Once readyd, remove from oven and leave to cool for 10 min before carefully removing from the tin and placing on a cooling rack. After 10 minutes, slice and enjoy! Top with plant based margarine or maple syrup if desired.

Storage

• Store in a sealed container on the bench for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator up to 1 week. Note that if kept in the fridge, it will dry out faster. Alternatively, freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat in the microwave or in the toaster to refresh.

Video

Notes

Lower sugar option: I have successfully tested this with reduced sugar – 1/4 cup is enough that the bread is still lightly sweet.  

Glaze: If you’d like a more indulgent, sweeter finish then try pouring a simple coconut glaze over the cooled loaf. Simply mix a few heaped tablespoons of coconut cream with powdered icing sugar until it forms a paste, then pour it over the top of the loaf.

Nutrition

Calories: 251kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 166mg | Potassium: 187mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 606IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 2mg