Hemp Heart Banana Bread (VEGAN)

Hemp Heart Banana Bread (VEGAN)

Hi Kneaders!

Banana Bread is one of those treats that a lot of us encounter throughout the year a few times, perhaps at a baby shower or around the holidays. I definitely held banana bread dear to my heart growing up – particularly because it was one of the only banana desserts I enjoyed. Anything else banana flavored was a hard pass for me. There’s just something about this moist and fluffy loaf when it’s warm, slathered in butter (dairy-free if you prefer) and studded with nuts (if that’s your thing) that calls to me. It’s endlessly customizable too – plenty of us love chocolate in our banana bread.

A childhood friend used to gift me homemade mini loaves for Christmas. Then, when I first moved into my own apartment, Banana Bread was one of the first things I made. To this day, I’ve made countless iterations of this classic quick-bread from my Double Chocolate version to unique versions like shredded zucchini or freeze-dried Strawberries.

Classic banana bread really is something special so I knew I had to make a healthier (vegan) version. It took me several tries before I got the texture perfect with no flavor lacking. The addition of the hemp hearts give it such a unique mouthfeel that really takes it to the next level. You won’t be forgetting this loaf anytime soon!

This banana bread is moist, soft, tender, rich and perfectly sweetened with ripe bananas. I personally love the addition of nuts but feel free to add any toppings you like! See: chocolate chips, dried fruit or even coconut flakes.

My secret weapon for this Hemp Heart Banana Bread is aquafaba, which is the liquid from a can of chickpeas (or the cooking liquid if you cooked them from dry yourself). More about aquafaba and all of its amazing uses below!

What are Hemp Hearts?

I love hemp hearts and I hope you’ll give them a try as they make the perfect addition to salads, smoothies, bowls + sweet treats. I use them as much as possible because they are SO good for you. I’ll get into the nutritional info and some of the science-backed data a bit more in depth below.

First things first… Hemp Hearts and Hemp Seeds are not the same thing. Hemp Hearts are shelled, which means they’ve been taken out of their shell. This is extremely important because the outer layers are difficult for our bodies to digest, which in turn makes it harder to absorb all of the incredible nutrients inside. And, if the nutrients aren’t bio-available, what’s the point?!

I don’t bother at all with buying hemp seeds because they are so small that shelling them yourself sounds like the equivalent of sorting socks. So, opt for the hemp hearts if you can.

So, what are Hemp hearts? Hemp hearts are the seeds (well, really, they’re nuts…) of the hemp plant, Cannabis Sativa, and contrary to popular misconception…they contain zero THC or psychoactive properties. Keep in mind, the marginal amount of THC found in the hemp plant exists within the leaves and flowers only.

Hemp Heart Benefits & Nutrition

Hemp hearts are a powerhouse of nutritional benefits, containing unsaturated fatty acids and essential amino acids. Hemp hearts are also considered to be a “perfect protein,” which means it contains all 20 amino acids AND all nine of essential amino acids that our bodies can’t produce. Isn’t that so bad ass?!

Hemp hearts are also high in GLA (Gamma-linolenic acid), which is a necessary kind of building block for hormone-like chemicals in the body called Prostaglandins that help control bodily functions such as body temperature and inflammation. Food habits that include GLA-rich foods like these amazing hemp hearts have helped everything from ADHD to Diabetes and Skin Allergies. Additional studies have shown that hemp hearts may improve your digestive health, heart health and even benefit hair, skin & nail growth!

For more information on the scientific studies supporting the aforementioned research and other helpful information on hemp hearts, check out this comprehensive guide I used for some of this research from Dr. Axe’s website written by Christine Ruggieri, CHHC here

What is Aquafaba?

Aquafaba literally translates to bean water and it is the liquid you’ll find in a can of cooked chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans, gram and Egyptian peas). You can also cook your own chickpeas from dry and use the leftover cooking liquid instead. However, this method tends to vary with the liquid consistency subject to change. In my opinion, it’s easier and more reliable to just purchase canned chickpeas!

How Do I Use Aquafaba?

All you’ll need to do is drain your can of chickpeas into a bowl (saving the liquid) and set your beans aside, saving for another recipe.

This chickpea liquid is pure baking gold especially when it comes to vegan desserts and baked goods. For example, when coming up with this recipe, I probably failed four or five times. I just couldn’t get the texture right – even though the flavor was totally on point.

Then, as I was draining a can of chickpeas some weeks later, it dawned on me! Aquafaba is used for all sorts of vegan treats and I knew it would provide the binding necessary to get a nice fluffy texture. Low and behold, it worked out amazingly and I hope you’ll give aquafaba a try in your baking adventures! If you’re already eating chickpeas, you may as well save the liquid!

Fun Fact: Aquafaba is also used as an egg replacement in cocktails – like whiskey sour!

A common use for aquafaba is as an egg white replacement and I’ve seen this method used to make vegan French macarons.

How Do I Make It?

This recipe is super simple and doesn’t require a lot of time or effort!

First things first, you’ll want to mash your very ripe (black is good!) bananas with a fork in a bowl or measuring jug. Add your wet ingredients straight in (coconut oil, aquafaba, plant milk, coco sugar, liquid sweetener of choice and vanilla) and mix until just combined.

Then, add your dry ingredients (flour, oats, hemp hearts, baking powder & soda, salt & spices) straight in and mix gently. There’s no need to mix your dry ingredients beforehand and dirty up another bowl!

We don’t want to overmix this batter because too much mixing will sort of “activate” the proteins in the flour, which give the gluten structure and will result in a dense banana bread. This is great when we are making actual bread but here we want a fluffy and moist loaf, no density allowed!

Gently fold in your nuts or whatever add-ins you like and pour the batter into a greased 9×5 loaf pan.

Bake this for about 50 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Start checking for doneness with a toothpick* around the 40 minute mark and then remove onto a wire rack to cool once its fully cooked!

Warm banana bread is delightful but do give this a good 5 minutes to cool before diving in so it has time to set up properly. If you slice into it while it’s too hot, it will fall apart. Don’t say I didn’t warn ya!

The next day, I swear it tastes even better after the flavors get a chance to meld a bit!

How Do I Store It?

This banana bread keeps well for several days but I can’t guarantee it will stick around that long!

I like to slice it up and store it in a freezer bag at room temperature but you can also freeze it and pull out a slice whenever you like – just thaw it at room temperature first or toast it.

When I’m feeling really lazy, I just put a piece of foil over the top of the pan and leave it on the counter. It should last for a couple days this way at room temperature.

I really hope you enjoy this healthy version of Banana Bread! Happy eating!