Recipe Rehab: Banana Bread

Our weekly feature, Recipe Rehab, takes a recipe -- sometimes basic, sometimes decadent and sometimes just plain unhealthy -- and turns it into a scrumptious and healthy dish, pumped up with nutrition. Sometimes all it takes is a few alterations to prepare a dish that would make even your nutritionist proud.

We're all getting into the second month of our New Year's resolutions, and those diets can be hard to stick with when it's cold outside and you would like a warm treat. It's especially hard if you like to bake, because low fat substitutes aren't as easy to find. This Banana Bread recipe is quick and easy, and still good for you. It's also a perfect way to use up old bananas. Just peel them, pop them in the freeze and then use them to make a quick batch any time.

Easy Banana Bread

1/3 cup nonfat plain yogurt
2 large eggs
3 medium ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2/3 cup sugar
1 3/4 cups flour or 1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients well and pour into a 9 x 9 pan sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for 35-45 minutes, until cooked through.

Rehab Rundown

• Nonfat yogurt was substituted for vegetable oil, cutting fat in half
  
• Substituting whole wheat flour and add chopped nuts would increase protein, fiber, B vitamins and antioxidants
• The salt was reduced by half

Rehab Reveal

	Original	Adapted
Calories	435 (46% from fat)	339 (30% from fat)
Fat	23g	12g
Saturated Fat	4g	2g
Protein	8g	9g
Carbohydrate	52g	52g
Fiber	4	6g
Sodium	621mg	362mg