HUMMINGBIRD PROTEIN LOAF (DAIRY FREE)
This Hummingbird Protein Loaf just might be my new favorite protein bread! It's basically pineapple banana bread smothered with a scrumptious coconut cream cheese frosting. Pecans optional, but recommended ;) This loaf is also gluten-free and dairy-free to accommodate our family's sensitivities. It's also packed with protein and fiber while being low in sugar!
Did you know? Green bananas are a good source of resistant starch (also present in reheated potatoes), a starch that helps moderate blood sugar. Resistant starch also feeds healthy gut bacteria. As bananas ripen, that starch is converted to sugars such as glucose, sucrose and fructose. (source)
Protein recommendations
Most of my protein recipes use LIV Body Lean Vegan Protein! I love that it's free of artificial additives and still tastes good. For this recipe I used Pumpkin Pie flavor, which works especially well with it's cinnamon-spiced flavor. You can use my code NOEXCUSES for 20% off all LIV Body products!
Feel free to use any vegan protein you like, but keep in mind, using a different brand may change the flavor and texture somewhat. I do NOT recommend whey in this recipe, but feel free to check out my Hummingbird Protein Cake made with whey!
Flour recommendations
For the flour, I used my favorite gluten-free baking flour. Feel free to substitute fine oat flour, cassava flour, or sorghum flour if you prefer. If you don't need gluten-free, all-purpose flour, cake flour, spelt flour, or whole wheat flour should work, too! I have found these flours work the best for a soft, pillowy texture. You *can* substitute up to one-third cup of the gluten-free flour for two and a half tablespoons of coconut flour, but using more may result in a mushy bread that doesn't rise.
Sweetener recommendations
I always have Pyure organic stevia blend in my pantry because it's the best! Many sweeteners have an odd aftertaste, but this one tastes great to me. Please note, this particular sweetener is twice as sweet as sugar! If using a sweetener that measures 1:1 like sugar, you may need up to twice as much. These would include granulated monk fruit, granulated erythritol, allulose, or baking stevia.
Other ingredients
Of course, you're going to need a couple spotty bananas for this one! The recipe also calls for crushed pineapple, cartoned egg whites, baking soda, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. If you need this to be vegan, try an vegan egg recplacer or one-quarter cup of ground flaxseed mixed with two-thirds cup of warm water.
Coconut cream cheese frosting
Last but not least, the coconut cream cheese frosting! I used dairy free cream cheese to keep it vegan. After trying many vegan cream cheese brands, I think my favorites are Simple Truth (Kroger brand), Kite Hill, and Miyokos (better in savory things as it's pretty tangy).
I simply mixed the dairy free cream cheese with powdered sweetener (I used powdered monk fruit), vanilla extract, and a little coconut extract (optional). It was divine with the pecans!
Here's the printable recipe for this Hummingbird Protein Loaf. I hope you'll comment below if you try it ;)
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