Low Fat Nutella-Banana Bread (Gluten Free)

Today I decided to incorporate Nutella into my favorite low fat banana bread recipe that I came up with years ago...and the results were amazing! Chocolatey, gooey Nutella mixed with sweet banana bread and the fat content works out to be only 2.5-3 grams per serving! This recipe made 12 muffins and one large loaf of bread. 

Most people would probably mix the wet and dry ingredients separately and then combine, but I usually mix the wet ingredients then add the dry on top...mix the dry together a bit with a fork and then mix deeper, incorporating the wet ingredients. 

Ingredients:
5 ripe bananas
1/3 cup applesauce
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
3 cups flour (I use all purpose Gluten Free flour)
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar 
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1-2 tsp cinnamon
1/4-1/2 cup water
3/4 cup - 1 cup Nutella

**If you want to "half" the recipe, you can use 2 bananas, 1 egg and 1 eggwhite.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

First, mash the bananas in a large bowl (L's favorite part!). Add the applesauce, eggs and vanilla and mix together. 

On top of the wet ingredients, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon. With a fork, mix the dry ingredients a bit. Add water. Mix deeper with a fork, hand-held beater, or electric mixer...beat until all is combined.

Spoon Nutella into an oven-safe bowl and melt in the oven for a few minutes. Carefully remove the bowl from the oven and stir with a fork. Spoon in about 1/3 of the banana bread batter into the bowl with the Nutella and mix gently with the fork. 

For muffins, I like to use silicone muffin cups...been using the same ones for years. No spraying or buttering necessary. Fill each muffin cup about halfway with the banana batter. Then add a spoonful of the Nutella mixture on each muffin. Top each one off with another spoonful of banana batter. Swirl each muffin gently with a toothpick.

Bake for 23-25 min. The "clean knife" testing method doesn't work too well with this recipe because the Nutella will always be a little gooey. I knew ours were done when the tops of each muffin had turned golden brown. 

To bake in a loaf pan, grease first with butter. Again fill about halfway with banana bread batter, then add Nutella mixture and finish off with more banana batter. Swirl with a knife. Bake for 40-50 min.

Yummmm!!! Enjoy!!!