Sugar-Free Banana Bread

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork until smooth. Leave some small chunks for added texture if desired.

Add the unsweetened applesauce, vanilla extract, and eggs to the mashed bananas. Mix well until all ingredients are well combined.

In another bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring gently until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the bread tender.

If using, fold in the chopped walnuts or pecans until evenly distributed throughout the batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Once baked, remove from the oven and let the bread cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.