Nutrition
Calories: 144kcal | Carbohydrates: 18.5g | Protein: 14.2g | Fat: 1.8g | Fiber: 0.8g
This Banana Bread Seitan is the easiest and most delicious high protein breakfast!
Servings
Ingredients
- 3 Bananas, ripened
- 180 g Vital Wheat Gluten
- 1/2 cup Light Brown Sugar
- 2 tbsp Water
- 1 tbsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 1/4 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp Nutmeg
- 1 1/2 tbsp Mini Chocolate Chips
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 325 F (163 C).
- Mash the bananas up really well.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together the mashed bananas, water, vanilla extract, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and chocolate chips (everything except for the vital wheat gluten).
- Once this is well mixed, add in the vital wheat gluten and combine. Do NOT over-mix this, or you will end up with a chewier texture. The dough should be a little loose, but not wet and sloppy – if it is, add a bit of extra vital wheat gluten until the dough looks like the picture shown in the detailed instructions below.
- Place the dough in a parchment paper-lined loaf pan. Spread it out as evenly as possible.
- Cook for 45 – 50 minutes until you pass the clean toothpick test!
Equipment
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Loaf Pan (9" x 5")
Notes
Track this on My Fitness Pal searching:
PDV High Protein Banana Bread
Did you make this recipe?Mention @proteindeficient.vegan
If you haven’t tried using vital wheat gluten to make a dessert or bread-y food, hopefully this High Protein Banana Bread Seitan recipe will change your mind! It takes only 5 minutes of effort and you have a big loaf of delicious banana bread to eat for breakfast or as a protein snack throughout the week.
Most recipe creators will use protein powder for their protein baked goods, but I rarely do that if I can help it, for a few reasons. The first is that I don’t want you to have to buy some very specific protein powder that I’m using in order to be able to get the same results. Vital Wheat Gluten is one of those ingredients that doesn’t really change no matter who’s name is on the bag, so I know that yours should turn out really similar to mine regardless of which brand you buy. Secondly, I don’t believe in shilling for corporations and just throwing their products in my recipes to sell more of their crap for them, unless it actually makes the food taste better. Most things taste worse and have a worse texture when you add protein powder. That’s just my opinion. And lastly, protein powders bake very, very differently depending on which kind you’re using because they’re made of different ingredients. Pea protein is going to bake very differently than soy protein or a protein blend. This just takes out the guess work of how it’s going to turn out. This is not to say that I will never use protein powders in my recipes, but I will only do it when it makes sense.
If I convinced you to try dessert seitan, you should also check out my high protein pumpkin spice donut holes and pumpkin spice seitan! I also have a recipe for making this recipe into cookie form, so it’s easier to travel with!
Stuff You’ll Need
- Bananas – I used three medium bananas, around 135 grams each, for reference. They were also very ripe, which I highly recommend because you will end up with sweeter, softer and less chunky banana bread seitan.
- Vital Wheat Gluten – this is the main protein source for this High Protein Banana Bread. It’s typically used to make meat replacements, but damn dude, I really love using it in desserts, despite how weird it sounds. As long as you couple it with the right ingredients, and don’t over-mix, it comes out soft and pillowy – and a little chewy, but not like your typical seitan level chew. You can find vital wheat gluten at most grocery stores, and since it’s shelf-stable, you can also buy it online.
- Side note, please weigh the vital wheat gluten when you make this. It’s a very dense powder, and if you’re only using measuring cups, it’s very easy to add more than you think you are.
- Light Brown Sugar – for most of my recipes, you can sub out the brown sugar with a low cal/no cal sweetener like monk fruit. For this recipe, the brown sugar plays a really important role in the texture of the Banana Bread, so I wouldn’t recommend doing that if you want it to look and taste like mine. If you’re really prioritizing your calories/macros though, you can sub it, but please note that the texture will come out differently; it will end up more chewy and probably won’t fully rise in the middle.
- Vanilla Extract – good luck trying to stop me from adding vanilla to baked goods.
- Baking Powder, Baking Soda – don’t skip these; they help push this High Protein Banana Bread Seitan away from your typical, very chewy, seitan texture and more into a soft dessert.
- Salt – adjust to taste.
- Cinnamon, Nutmeg – I think both of these add some nice warmth to the cookies, but if you really hate one of these ingredients, feel free to leave it out.
- Mini Vegan Chocolate Chips – these are an optional ingredient, but I really think chocolate makes everything better.
How to Make This & Pictures
- Pre-heat the oven to 325 F (163 C).
- Mash the bananas really well; they’re should be any chunks left – just mushy goodness. I just used a fork but you could also use a food processor. I would recommend using very ripe bananas, because they’re easier to mush and they are also sweeter.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together the mashed bananas, light brown sugar, vanilla, water, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and chocolate chips. Do this before adding the vital wheat gluten, so that all of the ingredients are well combined beforehand. You want to mix the dough as minimally as possible once the vital wheat gluten is added to avoid a chewy texture.
- Next, add the vital wheat gluten. It’s important that you mix this as little as possible now that the vital wheat gluten has been added. Mixing is very similar to kneading, so the more you mix, the chewier your banana bread will be. We want to keep the texture light and soft!
- Side note – please weigh the vital wheat gluten out. It’s a very dense flour and if you’re just using measuring cups, it’s very easy to add more than you think you are.
- The dough should look similar to this – still moist, but not wet, and all of the vital wheat gluten should be worked in.
- If your dough is too wet, add a small amount vital wheat gluten until it looks like this.
- If your dough is too dry (and you can’t get the vital wheat gluten to incorporate), add a tiny amount of water and try again.
- Flop the dough into a parchment paper-lined 9″ x 5″ loaf pan.
- Smooth it out as much as your can so that it cooks evenly.
- Bake for 45 – 50 minutes. Check it at the 45 minute mark and see if it passes the toothpick test (where you stick a toothpick in the middle and make sure it comes out clean – ensures it’s all the way cooked and not raw in the middle).
- Allow to cool for a few minutes and enjoy!
Troubleshooting
There are a few things that can cause your High Protein Banana Bread to sink in the middle so I wanted to mention them here in case you run into that issue.
- Altitude – I’m near Chicago which means I’m around 575-600 feet above sea level. All of my recipes are created based on that altitude. Most recipes will work as written if you’re below 3,000 feet. If you happen to be higher than that (Denver is a good example), you might need to make some modifications to the recipe because that high of an altitude can really impact this recipe and the bread’s ability to rise. Unfortunately, I’ve never baked in Denver (or anywhere except my house), so I can’t provide you with my own personal advice but I have researched it and this article on high altitude baking seems well-researched and provides guidance on adjustments that can be made to baking recipes to make them work better.
- Sugar replacements – replacing the brown sugar with a sugar-free alternative can cause a more dense and chewy texture, and it can also result in the the Banana Bread falling in the middle and not fully rising. If you care more about the macros that the texture, I wouldn’t worry about it too much – it will still be tasty, but if you want it to look and taste like mine, I would recommend using the brown sugar instead!
- Not fully baked – if the Banana Bread was fully risen like the pictures show in this recipe, and then it fell a few minutes after pulling it out of the oven, it likely wasn’t fully cooked in the middle. You could try throwing it back in the oven for a few more minutes to see if that helps, or just bake it for a little longer next time.
- Opening the oven – if you happen to open the oven at the wrong time during the baking process, it can actually cause the Banana Bread to collapse and it may never fully rise again, so try not to open the oven until the end when you’re ready to take it out and check for doneness.
- Too chewy – most people who I’ve talked to about this recipe, don’t mind the chewiness of the Banana Bread (it is chewier than a normal Banana Bread because we’re using vital wheat gluten as the protein source). There are a few things that you can do to minimize the chewiness though.
- Mix as minimally as possible once the vital wheat gluten has been added.
- Allow the Banana Bread dough to rest in the loaf pan for an hour or two before baking.
- Replace some of the vital wheat gluten with AP flour or peanut flour (this will change the macros some).
- Make sure you use brown sugar and not a sugar-free alternative like monk fruit. Using something like monk fruit will change the texture.
- If you have any other questions or need some help troubleshoot, send me a message!
Silly Little Haiku
Best breakfast ever
Banana bread seitan rocks
Vital wheat gluten
Author
Protein Deficient Vegan
So good! And easy! Thanks for the recipe!
Yay!! I’m so glad you liked it! 🙂
This is so tasty! I tried it with a 1:1 monkfruit replacement and it didn’t really fully rise/ become bread like (if that makes sense). I ended up cutting into cookie sized pieces and cooking again to crisp it up – the taste is amazing! Next time I’ll use full brown sugar 🙂
Glad you were still able to enjoy it! Yea, the reason I use brown sugar for these is that it improves the texture quite a bit (less chewy, rises more)! I know a lot of people are trying to reduce sugar though, and I think it still turns out ok with a replacement but will change the bake and texture a bit! 🙂
This banana bread is so good and the macros are unreal. Thank you so much for the recipe?
I’m so glad you liked it!! 🙂
Eating a slice of this now while writing my review. It’s chewier than regular banana bread, but that’s to be expected with vital wheat gluten. This recipe works really well and I’m adding it to my baking rotation.
Yay!! I’m glad it turned out well and that you liked it! Thank you so much for leaving a review! 🙂
Just made it, I added some maple syrup and used monk fruit instead of brown sugar. This is my first time using VWG in a sweet recipe rather than a savory, “meaty” dish….i gotta say…. Delicious! I love the spongy texture.
Yay!! I’m so glad that they turned out well! Thanks for sharing your substitutions that worked well too! 🙂
I made this today and it was so delicious! I swapped out 1/2 of the sugar for 2 Tablespoons of sugar free maple syrup and omitted the water. I also decided to make them into muffins instead of bread for easy portability and that worked great. I’m so pleased – what a macro friendly treat!
Yay!! I’m glad it turned out well! Thank you so much for the review and also for sharing the substitutions that worked out for you; it’s very helpful! 🙂
THIS IS DELICIOUS. Made as written, and it’s perfect. I was unexpectedly a bit short on baking powder, so I had to improvise with a bit more baking soda and some vinegar, so mine sank in the middle after baking, but it didn’t affect the flavor! This was my second attempt at a sweet seitan recipe (the first was the brownie bites recipe), and it will become a repeat recipe for sure. I devoured a slice as soon as it was cool enough to cut! Thanks for this magic; such a fun way to satisfy a sweet craving and hit some protein, too.
I’m glad you liked it! Thank you so much for leaving a review! 🙂
Made this last night and had as a pre workout snack this morning. Literally couldn’t stop thinking “how is she not famous” the entire time it is SO good and the macros are literally perfect to have before going to the gym!! 15/10 thank you
You are sooo sweet!! Thank you! 🙂 I’m really glad you liked it!!
I have made this twice now, once according to the instructions, and then today, realizing I only had half the vital wheat gluten, I made few tweaks (subbing bread flour for the missing half of vwg, and adding some PB2, just to try it). Both times it turned out amazing! Thank you so much for this recipe!! Next time I’m going to try adding blueberries!
Yay!! I’m glad it turned out well both times! I’ve actually been playing around with a PB2 powder version too for people who want a less springy version of the banana bread! I hope it turns out just as tasty when you try it with blueberries! 🙂
Brilliant recipe. However mine sunk in the middle, but my oven is kind of bad. I wonder if me opening the oven to check it twice was the cause? Otherwise it has risen beautifully and tastes so good. It’s a bit squidgy so gonna leave it to cool! Thanks so much. Your recipes are incredible.
Hi!! Thank you! 🙂 The middle might sink a little bit if it’s not fully cooked. It could also sink if the oven was opened, especially if the oven was opened early on! Another possibility is if your oven is actually cooler than it says it is (not sure if that’s what you meant by kind of bad), but if this is the case, you may want to increase the temperature a little bit – maybe 25 DEGF? If you need more help troubleshooting it, feel free the message or email me! 🙂
Made this today swapping allulose/monk fruit 1:1 over the brown sugar. I think my “3 ripe bananas” were on the small side and will use bigger ones next time. It was about 12 oz of banana. Cocao nibs instead of chips. Our loaf rose fine. We really enjoyed this and will make it again.
Yay!! I’m glad that it turned out well! Thanks for including your substitutions too! 🙂
Love this. Super tasty, easy to make, and filling. Made two loaves already this month.
This makes me so happy!! I’m glad you like it! Thanks for leaving a review too! 🙂
I made these into muffins while mostly following your recipe and they turned out sooo delicious! I’ve used vital wheat gluten in other sweet recipes with some success, but this one is my favorite by far.
I only used 50g of sugar and used 30g of maple syrup instead of the full sugar amount, but I still included the water.
I also ran out of vital wheat gluten so I had 110g of that and used AP flour for the remaining.
I used enjoy life mini chocolate chips and used 70g for deliciously chocolatey muffins.
Thanks for the recipe!!
Yay! I’m glad that they turned out well! Also, thanks for sharing your changes; I think it’s really helpful for anyone who might want to make substitutions or modifications to the recipe! 🙂
I’m made this 3 times in a month, my kids absolutely love it!!!! But I do add chocolate chips, and it never makes it to left overs.
This makes me so happy! I’m really glad to hear that the kiddos love it too! Thank you so much for leaving a review, I really appreciate it! 🙂
Great recipe and better macros than my usual protein bars! I made this recipe into muffins and they came out amazing!!! Thanks so much!!!
Making them into little muffins is a great idea! I’m glad that you enjoyed them! Thank you so much for leaving a review, I really appreciate it! 🙂
I’ve made this several times using a 12 cup muffin tin and baking for 15-20 mins. Results in perfectly little chewy snacks, perfect for commuting and quick pre workout meals. Brilliant recipe, thanks!
Yay! I’m glad you liked them! Using a muffin tin is a great idea! Thank you so much for leaving a review, I really appreciate it! 🙂
How should the bread be stored? TIA!
I usually wrap it tightly in parchment paper and keep it in a bread box on the counter for up to 5 days. You could also store it in an air-tight container in the fridge!
Super easy to make and delicious!
I’m so glad you like this recipe!! Thank you for leaving a review; I really appreciate it! 🙂
Made a slightly smaller loaf. I wanted to mix the base a bit so used 80g vwg, 40g oats and 20g plain flour instead. I also used around 155g banana as that’s all I had and put the mixture into a 1lb loaf tin instead of a 2lb one. I also reduced the sugar to 35g as the bananas were very ripe and I didn’t want it to be too sweet for a breakfast dish. It came out really nice! I knew the texture would be different to regular banana bread but it’s still softer than I expected. Tastes sooo good with peanut butter. Thank you!
Yay, I’m glad it turned out good!! Thank you for leaving a review and also for noting the modifications you made (I always find those so helpful when reading recipe reviews)! 🙂
My regular go to vegan high protein dessert now, SO good! I used the same brand vital wheat gluten as you, Anthony’s, which seems to be good quality and help things not come out too chewy. I also increase the amt of chocolate chips to 1/4 cup for more of a dessert’y vibe.
Just curious if you’ve ever tried to make this recipe with zucchini instead of bananas?…would be cool to see a zucchini bread version too 🙂
Yay!! I’m so glad you like it! I typically use Antony’s VWG too! I think you are the third or forth person to request a high protein zucchini bread recipe (which I think is genius btw), so I’m going to start experimenting with one this week! 🙂
This website is so convenient and well thought out every little feature love it for real
Thank you so much!! We tried to make it as user-friendly as possible! 🙂
Just made this today. It tastes great, and the macros are a-ma-za-zing!
YAY!!! I’m glad you liked it!! Thank you so much for leaving a review; I really appreciate it! 🙂