Google "Aloha Bread" - it's a variant on banana bread that is a favorite in my house!

grated coconut and a little rum

Grated carrots (Have you ever had the banana-carrot loaf at Best Buns? YUM!)

Grind your walnuts into the consistency of freshly ground course pepper - you'll still get the flavor without the risk to little eaters.

Op here: You guys are awesome. Thanks.

I especially love the idea of using yogurt and dried apricots. I am thinking that dark chocolate chunks would go nicely with dried apricots....

I would start with subbing in 1/2 King Arthur white whole wheat flour.

Oh man, what HAVEN'T I added to banana bread?? Favorites include:
chopped dried apricots
strawberries in the summer, with those last shrivelly ones from the container
orange zest and juiced pulp (don't want to add too much extra liquid), with nutmeg and ground cloves

Basically, I've rarely messed up banana bread, as many crazy additions and substitutions as I've made. For healthier ingredients, you can sub yogurt for some of the butter; makes a nice texture. You already figured out that most recipes call for way more sugar than you need. I once did half flour and half almond meal. It was a little crumbly, but really delicious.

I have a great recipe from cooking light. It uses Greek yogurt and flaxseed meal in the batter. You should be able to find it on the website. You can sub whole wheat flour in any quickbread recipe, but I would only do half.

Cut the sugar in half and add applesauce instead.

Last night I made banana bread, and it was so easy, cheap, and delicious. I don't know why I don't make it more often.

I used the recipe from the Simply Recipes website. ( used 1/2 as much sugar as she recommended--the bananas were plenty sweet!) But I am looking for ways to make it healthier or more substantial. I threw in flax seeds, and would have added walnuts, but I didn't want my 16 month old to choke on them.

Can I use all whole wheat flour instead of all purpose? Or should I mix the 2?