Healthy Blueberry Banana Bread {gluten-free}
Brought to you in partnership with Bob's Red Mill
This healthy blueberry banana bread recipe is the perfect summer treat! Naturally gluten-free, sweetened without refined sugar and made with high protein flours.
So we're making a healthy banana bread recipe today and guess what? It's inspired by one of you!
I put out a call for summer recipes on Instagram a few weeks ago and someone wrote back saying they wanted a blueberry banana bread. That is what they call “recipe gold” right there. Pure genius! Why I haven't thought of this combo before is lost on me, but be prepared to get blown away.
And friends, this flavor combo is epic! It's also the perfect summertime treat; it's healthy, gluten-free, high protein and naturally sweetened!
The base of our healthy blueberry banana is a blend of almond flour and quinoa flour which is my favorite combination for quick breads. As evidence from the multiple recipes I already have on the site, this combination yields the most amazing texture AND both flours are nutrient-rich.
Almond Flour. It's super important to use superfine, blanched almond flour in these recipes since that has the finest texture and a mellow color. My favorite brand on the planet is Bob's Red Mill and their almond flour is top notch. It has a natural sweetness, doesn't overpower with an almond flavor and it comes in big bags (which is def a cost saving).
Quinoa Flour. This is a great flour to add to your gluten-free baking because it's high in protein and helps with structure. While quinoa flour can have a strong flavor, I don't find that I can taste it when it's combined with other ingredients like in this recipe.
And then to really ensure the texture of this bread is spot on, we're using some of Bob's Red Mill flaxseed meal, coconut flour and arrowroot starch! (<– guys, they really do have the BEST selection of gluten-free baking essentials!)
How to make our Blueberry Banana Bread
This is easily a one bowl recipe and comes together in about 10 minutes. If you want to save on dishes, I recommend starting with your wet ingredients actually and then folding in the dry ingredients afterward. You can just mash the banana in the bowl, whisk in your eggs, and the other ingredients, and then add the flours.
Another secret to this recipe is actually the combination of apple cider vinegar and baking soda. When the two ingredients interact, they create this gaseous mixture which helps give this bread its lift and height!
Can you make this recipe egg-free?
This is one of the most common questions I get about my almond flour quick breads and I'll be honest and tell you that I haven't found a good solution for an egg-free version.
The benefit that eggs provide here, aside from the binding properties, it's that they also help the bride rise and stay risen.
And the times I've tried with flax eggs, the bread is either too dense, doesn't rise and/or doesn't bake through.
SO…if you do end up figuring out how to make this recipe egg-free, please share with us below! And I promise that I'll continue to test until I can find something that works ❤
Now, before I let you get to baking, I'm sure you're wondering about that drizzle on top?
It's actually just plain old coconut butter!
You know that I love using coconut butter in my matcha lattes, and as I was putting this post together I realized it would do so much better with a drizzle on top. I didn't want to use confectioner's sugar since that kind of defeats our purpose (making something healthy), so I just melted a little coconut butter in the microwave (adding a tiny splash of coconut oil) and drizzled it on top.
It's pure heaven!
(p.s. the bread would also be delicious with this coconut butter icing)
What's the best way to enjoy this bread you wonder?
You really can't go wrong, but I love giving it a light toast in the toaster oven and spreading it with some homemade chia jam. It's filling and comforting, but still light and refreshing.
Honestly, I think this might just be my favorite banana bread recipe to date!
More Almond Flour Dessert Recipes To Try!
- Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie Bars
- Lemon Almond Flour Cake
- Gluten-Free Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie
- Quinoa Carrot Cake
- Chewy Almond Flour Sugar Cookies
Healthy Blueberry Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
- 1/2 cup quinoa flour
- 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal
- 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
- 2 teaspoons coconut flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder or extract
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup mashed banana about 1 medium
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or oil of choice
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup or liquid sweetener of choice
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup blueberries fresh or frozen
- 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar to garnish optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Add the dry ingredients to the bowl and whisk to combine. In a separate bowl, beat together the eggs, mashed banana, oil, syrup and vinegar and beat until smooth.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and fold together. Once combined, fold in the blueberries.
- Transfer batter to the prepared loaf tin, sprinkle with turbinado sugar (if using). Bake on the center rack for 45 - 50 minutes until the top has turned golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan for 1 hour then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely before slicing.
Video
Nutrition
This recipe is brought to you in partnership with Bob’s Red Mill. As always, all opinions are my own. I only share companies I love and trust, so thank you for continuing to support Simply Quinoa!
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Alyssa I can’t find sorghum flour where I live what can I replace it with for this recipe. Thanks
I think oat flour or quinoa flour would work!
Can I use chia seeds instead of flax meal?
You could try! I haven’t tested that yet, so I’m not sure!
Looks amazing!! Can I use flax egg instead ?
I don’t think so! Because of the flour combo, the bread kind of relies on the eggs for structure and lift 🙂
I made this bread this week and it was absolutely delicious! Everyone loved it . I’m making it again today or tomorrow lol .
Do you think it would freeze well ?
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!! Would love for you to give it a star rating if you have a sec 🙂 xox
The blueberry banana combo is amazing!
My FAVE!
Love this loaf, veryeasy to make, tastes delicious
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!!
Is the oven temp for regular oven or fan ?? Thanks !
Regular oven!
What a heavenly loaf! I absolutely adore baking banana bread and adding some kind of fun juicy fruit in the batter! I have always had trouble baking with blueberries since they tended to burst inside my pastry base, add unwanted moisture and gooeyness, or make the entire inside of my pastry this unattractive purple color. Yours turned out so perfectly!
thank you!! this is honestly SUCH yummy recipe 🙂 hope you give it a try!
Does it taste dry ? Also can I subsiute blueberry to strawberries?
It doesn’t! And yes, you can definitely add strawberries 🙂
Is there a substitute for the arrowroot powder? Thanks, bread looks great!
You could do tapioca or potato starch!
Thanks Alyssa
Great ! But could I sub the quinoa flour ?
I haven’t tested it without quinoa flour, but if you did I would suggest another whole grain flour like millet or sorghum!
Hi Alyssa,
what can I use instead of arrowroot powder, maybe xanthan gum?
thx!
I think tapioca starch or potato starch would be better! You could also try a little bit more quinoa flour 🙂
Sounds lovely but what is coconut butter?
Love ❤️ Blueberry Banana Bread!! Would make this for our Sunday School Breakfast. We had the best food. People from all over the church even the preacher would come to eat w/us.
I hope everyone loves it!
It’s the same as almond or peanut butter, but made from coconuts 🙂