Spelt Banana Bread for One (No Added Sugar!)

This spelt banana bread recipe is made in a mini loaf pan, providing just enough for a single serving. Satisfy that craving for this delicious sweet bread without having an additional 8-12 servings waiting for you in the fridge. Making single servings of desserts is a great option for those aiming to control portions for weight loss. It’s also perfect for people who live alone and don’t have much spare freezer space.

Today, I thought I’d share one of the strategies that was immensely helpful to me during my 70-lb weight loss journey. That strategy is to bake one serving at a time of desserts or baked goods (such as this spelt banana bread).

Many recipes for quick bread make 8-12 servings. I tend to be the one in my household who eats the largest number of servings when I make baked goods. My son doesn’t care much for cake, and my husband simply doesn’t find these desserts as alluring as I do.

Knowing this, I determined that the best way to satisfy my craving and not overeat was to make one serving only. There was a one-serving cupcake recipe I used to make on occasion during my weight loss. I was able to have a single (small) cupcake and move on, still on track with my daily calorie goals.

This spelt banana bread recipe is a healthier option than the cupcake since it contains no added sugar and no refined grains. You can add Swerve if you feel the banana does not provide enough sweetness. We actually think this banana spelt bread is better without it.

Moderators versus abstainers: the answer to whether single-serving treats will work for you

I know that some will read this post and be incredulous that I was able to make myself a single serving of dessert and be satisfied. They may feel that I am being untruthful, since for them, having a one serving of dessert will leave them wanting more.

This is a key difference between abstainers and moderators that is critical to understand if you have a fat loss goal. Finding out which one you are may be incredibly helpful to you. I highly recommend doing some self-exploration on this topic if you have a fat loss goal.

Moderators do better avoiding strict dietary rules that may leave them feeling restricted. They may be more likely to “fall off the wagon,” so to speak, if they deny themselves occasional treats.

I recognize that I fare better allowing myself some indulgences once in a while. While I wouldn’t say “all things in moderation” would be my catchphrase (I don’t need to literally eat everything), I would classify myself as a moderator.

Abstainers, on the other hand, find it easier to completely give up certain treats rather than enjoy them moderately. They find that moderation only leaves them wanting more. Abstainers may find it takes far less willpower to create a few dietary rules, dealing a little more in absolutes.

My perception is those who do well with the low-carb way of eating tend to fall more into the abstainer category. It seems to be easier for them to meet their goals when they completely remove the grains and added sugar from their lives.

Neither of these ways of being is “better” than the other, by the way. However, this particular recipe (in case it wasn’t apparent by now) is best for the moderators.

Portion control is made easy with this mini spelt banana bread

In my breakfast frittata for one recipe, I made a bunch of mini frittatas in miniature pie tins. This removes the temptation of cutting an excessively large piece from a regular-sized frittata. However, if you live alone, you’ll still end up with extra frittatas tempting you from the fridge.

It’s not a terrible situation since most frittatas are relatively low-calorie for the nutrient bounty offered (protein, phytonutrients, etc.). Baked goods, on the other hand, tend to be a different story.

I sometimes joke that the Standard American Diet (SAD) is the dough diet, but it’s only half jest. The evidence is clear that most Americans eat excessive amounts of refined grains at the expense of more nutrient-rich foods. Grain-based desserts and bread are the top two sources of calories in the SAD.

It’s apparent that many of us have trouble limiting our intake of cooked dough. With this recipe, I am taking a hard line. You get exactly one serving of mini spelt banana bread.

If you want another serving, you’re going to have to decide whether it’s worth the effort to make another. You’ll have time to consider whether you are truly hungry, whether this decision fits with your health goals, and so on. (The situation kind of forces mindful eating, doesn’t it?)

I know that individuals who have never struggled to lose weight may have difficulty understanding this approach. They may wonder, why not just make a regular batch and put the extra in the freezer?

Those of us who have been there know that the extra will likely be eaten before it hits the freezer. Or worse (and somewhat embarrassingly), the bread may be eaten frozen because reheating takes too much effort. Making one serving removes the temptation, so there is no need to draw on willpower.

What you need to make spelt banana bread for one

To make this recipe, you will need a mini loaf pan. Mini loaf pans are great, even for regular quick bread recipes, because they provide exceptionally even cooking. Regardless of whether or not you are interested in single-serve recipes, you may want to consider picking one up.

With a regular loaf pan, I find that my bread sometimes turns out undercooked in the middle and too crisp on the ends. This is never an issue when I make mini bread loaves. They cook evenly every time.

Additionally, mini loaf pans are good for more than bread. I’ve made single-serve meatloaves, egg dishes, and many other items in my pan. They are incredibly versatile in the ways they can be used in the kitchen.

So now I guess I should just sit back and wait now for my mini loaf pan sponsorship, huh? Haha

Seriously, I purchased my pan a couple of decades ago when I used to eat too many baked goods from boxed mixes. And now, from those negative beginnings, I’ve found a way to use the pan to be a tool to improve my health. Not bad, eh?

Just a couple more things before we get to the recipe. I chose to use spelt flour in this recipe simply because I prefer the taste to whole wheat flour.

In general, spelt flour and whole wheat flour can be substituted for each other 1:1 in recipes. In other words, it should be fine to use whole wheat if you can’t find spelt.

Finally, you may notice in the video below that I used a regular soup bowl to mix the batter for this banana spelt bread. That’s one of the great things about single-serve recipes; you don’t need to dirty your large mixing bowls!

And now for the disclaimer…

All recipes on this website may or may not be appropriate for you, depending on your medical needs and personal preferences. Consult with a registered dietitian or your physician if you need help determining the dietary pattern that may be best for you.

The nutrition information is an estimate provided as a courtesy. It will differ depending on the specific brands and ingredients that you use. Calorie information on food labels may be wildly inaccurate, so please don't sweat the numbers too much.

For more information on how the three recipe levels may help with a weight management goal, refer to this post. Let's get cooking!

If you’re here for spelt flour recipes, you may want to check out my “the works” pizza with spelt crust. It’s one of the earlier recipes on the site, and still a family favorite!

Also, have you tried making sourdough bread with spelt flour yet? If not, my post on how to make sourdough bread starter and bread will get you started!

Lastly, if you try this spelt banana bread recipe for one, I’d love to hear from you.

Tell me why you use single-serve recipes. Do you have a weight loss goal like I did, or do you find single-serving recipes helpful for other reasons? Drop me a comment below, and thank you so much for stopping by!