The Fit Foodie Cooking Club for March is live, and this month’s featured recipe is a crowd favorite — Healthy Banana Bread.
What is the Fit Foodie Cooking Club?
The Fit Foodie Cooking Club is a monthly cooking challenge designed to get you back in the kitchen and cooking from scratch. Each month the community makes the same recipe so we can celebrate real food together and share tips, photos, and feedback.
March 2021 – The Details
Read the details below carefully so your entry is counted. If you have questions, please leave them in the comments of this post.
Recipe of the Month
This month’s pick is the popular Fit Foodie Finds Healthy Banana Bread. It’s a staple loaf recipe made with whole ingredients that yields a moist, fluffy bread perfect for breakfast, snack prep, or a kid-friendly treat. Key highlights:
- Sweetened with natural sugars
- Easy grab-and-go breakfast option
- About 4g protein per slice
- Kid-approved
- Great for meal prep and snacking
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here are the main ingredients for this healthy banana bread recipe:
- White whole wheat flour
- Coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Ripe bananas
- Large eggs
- Maple syrup
- Greek yogurt
- Vanilla extract
- Unsweetened almond milk
- Coconut oil
Tools You’ll Need
This recipe is simple and requires minimal equipment:
8×4-inch bread pan: An 8×4 pan is ideal. A 9×5 pan works too, though the loaf may spread a bit more and lose some height.
Measuring cups and spoons: Accurate measurements help the bread turn out consistently.
Mixing bowls: A large bowl for combining ingredients is essential.
Basic utensils: A fork to mash the bananas and a spoon or spatula to mix the batter.
Recipe Tips
- Mash the bananas thoroughly: Break down the bananas so there aren’t large chunks that could sink to the bottom.
- Prep the pan: Spray the pan well or line it with parchment to ensure easy removal.
- Watch the top: If the loaf is browning too quickly, tent it with foil after about 30 minutes of baking.
- Add coconut oil at the end: Coconut oil can solidify when mixed with cold liquids. Adding melted coconut oil last helps it incorporate smoothly.
- Let it rest: Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 10–15 minutes before attempting to remove it to prevent it from breaking apart.
- Easy release: After resting, run a butter knife around the edge to loosen the loaf before lifting it out.
How to Enter
Once you bake the recipe, submit your entry using the steps below.
- Take a clear photo of your banana bread.
- Leave a comment on the Healthy Banana Bread recipe page with your photo and a brief note about how it turned out. A star rating is welcome but not required. Be sure to include your name and a valid email address in the comment form so winners can be contacted.
Join the Fit Foodie Cooking Club on Facebook!
Connect with fellow members in the Fit Foodie Facebook group to share photos, ask questions, and celebrate each other’s cooking wins. The group is free and a great place to find inspiration and support.
Important Dates
Monday, March 1, 2021 — First day entries are accepted.
Tuesday, March 23, 2021 — Last day to submit your photo and comment.
Wednesday, March 24, 2021 — Winners will be randomly selected and announced in this blog post and on social media.
The Prize
Two participants will each win a $100 Target gift card. Winners are chosen at random from eligible comments posted between March 1 and March 23, 2021. Announcements will be made on the final Wednesday of the month (March 24, 2021) via this post and social channels.
Charity of the Month
Planned Parenthood
Each month we select a charity to support. For March — Women’s History Month — we chose a nonprofit focused on improving health and access for women. March 2021’s charity is Planned Parenthood. We will match and double the value of the giveaway prizes, donating $400 to Planned Parenthood.
Planned Parenthood provides reproductive health care, education, and information to millions of people. The Planned Parenthood Federation of America is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
We selected Planned Parenthood because we believe all women should have access to affordable, high-quality healthcare.
Donate
If you’d like to support the monthly charity, we encourage any contribution you can make. Donations can be made directly to Planned Parenthood if you wish to help further the organization’s mission.