When I first began competing in 2009 I resolved to rid my pantry of every item which had processed flour or sugar.  That meant also getting rid of the basic ingredients I would use to make banana bread.  Yet due to my love for the taste of banana bread, I quickly replaced my pantry ingredients with oat flour, barley flour, organic succanat and agave nectar.  But I could not see how to make my favorite bread without using at least some butter and a couple of eggs.

After a couple of experimental runs (which incidentally were all delicious), I began to use unsweetened applesauce and omitted eggs and butter altogether.  Once I figured out the ratio, I developed a recipe for banana bread which was moist, flavorful and completely vegan.  Yes, there is sugar and fruit in this bread, but a great deal of fat and calories are shaved off when I use this recipe.  I have since used applesauce in other baked goods with fantastic results.  So if you aren’t in contest prep mode, and you have a bit of a sweet tooth, you might want to whip up one of your favorite baked goods with applesauce and enjoy the results with minimal guilt!

Incidentally, I don’t buy Dr. Oz’s claim regarding apples.  That’s all I will say on the matter.