Here’s a Crohn’s-friendly Carrot, Banana, Zucchini & Walnut Loaf designed to be gentle on digestion, moist, and nutrient-dense. I’ll also include flare-up modifications so you can adjust based on tolerance
Carrot, Banana, Zucchini & Walnut Loaf
Crohn’s Disease–Friendly | Gluten-Free Option | Low Irritation
Why this works for Crohn’s
- Banana → soothing, easy-to-digest, potassium-rich
- Zucchini (peeled & squeezed) → soft fiber, very gentle
- Carrot (finely grated & cooked while baking) → easier on the gut
- Walnuts (optional & finely chopped) → anti-inflammatory fats
- Low sugar & no dairy → reduces gut irritation
Ingredients
(1 small loaf – 8 slices)
Wet
- 2 ripe bananas, mashed
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- ¼ cup olive oil or avocado oil
- ¼ cup maple syrup or honey
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Produce
- ½ cup very finely grated carrot
- ½ cup peeled zucchini, grated & well-squeezed dry
Dry
- 1½ cups gluten-free oat flour
(or very fine rice flour for extra sensitivity) - 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg (optional)
- Pinch of salt
Add-ins
- ¼ cup walnuts, finely chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F). Line or grease a loaf pan.
- Mash bananas until smooth. Whisk in eggs, oil, syrup, and vanilla.
- Stir in carrot and zucchini gently.
- In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients.
- Fold dry ingredients into wet batter (do not overmix).
- Fold in walnuts if using.
- Pour into pan and smooth top.
- Bake 45–55 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool fully before slicing (important for digestion).
Crohn’s Flare-Up Modifications
If symptoms are active:
- ❌ Skip walnuts
- ❌ Skip cinnamon/nutmeg
- ✔ Use rice flour only
- ✔ Bake slightly longer for a softer crumb
- ✔ Slice thinly & chew well
Serving Tips
- Best served room temperature
- Pair with lactose-free yogurt or a little almond butter
- Store refrigerated up to 4 days or freeze slices
Crohn’s Notes
- Always test one new ingredient at a time
- During strict flares, stick to banana-only loaf
- Walnuts should be powder-fine or omitted if stricturing is present
Makes 1 Loaf
CCA’s recipes are not tailored to individual requirements. Please review recipes to ensure they are appropriate for you from an IBD and broader diet perspective. If you think the consumption of certain foods leads to uncomfortable digestive or other symptoms, please speak to your health care professional. Consider connecting with a specialist
Ingredients
2 small bananas – mashed
1 zucchini – grated
2 small carrots – grated
105g walnuts chopped into large pieces (save some extra to decorate the top of the loaf)
70g dried cranberries
3 eggs lightly beaten
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup sunflower oil
2.5 cups self raising flour – sifted
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp mixed spice
1 tsp bi-carb soda
pinch of salt
Method
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Grate the carrot and zucchini in a large bowl.
Add the mashed banana, cranberries and chopped walnuts.
Add the eggs, sugar, oil, spices and salt and mix until evenly combined.
Fold through the sifted flour and bi-carb soda until the flour is just combined
(Don’t over mix the ingredients as it makes a heavy loaf).
Add to your greased loaf pan and cook for approx. 1 hour and 10 minutes.
The top can brown and burn quite quickly so keep an eye on it and turn the oven down or put foil over the loaf.
As always: if any of these ingredients are flare foods for you, please omit them or replace them with an alternative item.
