DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9×5 loaf pan with parchment paper. Combine the mashed bananas, vanilla extract, melted butter, beaten eggs, and unsweetened applesauce in a small bowl. In a separate large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sweetener, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. Add the wet ingredients (banana mixture) to the dry ingredients (flour mixture). Mix with a silicone or wooden spoon. Don't overmix. Ensure the flour is incorporated, but the mix should be lumpy. Pour the banana bread batter into the parchment paper lined loaf pan. Smooth the batter throughout the pan. Top with chopped walnuts, if desired. Bake for 40 minutes. Open the oven and tent the pan with foil. Don't fully cover, loosely tent (it shouldn't touch the bread). This will prevent the bread from browning too much on the top as the interior continues to bake. Bake for an additional 15-20 minutes. Test if the bread has finished by inserting a toothpick and testing if it returns clean. Allow the banana bread to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing it and transferring it to a cooling rack. Allow it to cool for at least an additional 15 minutes.