Hey guys, I’m excited to be back on the blog writing to you!
I have decided that the best way to reintroduce myself was to give you something to eat – you know, we have already met, but this is like our second or third date, the one with the food? Since we are getting re-acquainted I will also share a little more about me and my food habits…
I have an autoimmune condition called Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism as well as some pretty worn out adrenal glands. I’ve been eating for my health for about 14 years now and it is something that makes a big difference to my life. Because of this, I said farewell to gluten, milk and sugar many years ago. Despite really wanting to live solely off ice-cream it turns out we aren’t a good match. I am a pretty sensitive lady and I’ve learned to listen to my body when it speaks. What I’m also trying to say is that: IT’S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE I’VE HAD CAKE.
Anyway – this was the year that I finally decided I would perfect banana bread… One that would be free from all the things that I don’t eat, including nuts. I generally find that recipes that exclude gluten and are vegan usually fill the space with nuts and so it became my personal challenge to make something good without almonds. As it turns out, it is possible. I have tested out this recipe on people who eat everything and they all like it. The best thing about this recipe is that it is really hard to mess up. I baked it various times in two different ovens in two different countries and every iteration has been deemed ‘the best one yet’.
I would love to hear how it works for you so please check in with me in the comments or on instagram!
ingredients – dry
1 ¼ cups + 2 tablespoons of brown rice flour | ½ cup of oat flour (you can purchases this or grind porridge oats in your blender to make it) | ½ cup of coconut flour |1 teaspoon of cinnamon (or keep shaking it in if you like added spice!) |1 tsp baking soda | 1 tsp gluten free baking powder | ½ tsp of salt | 100% cacao chips (as many as you like!) | bake in a 9 X 5 inch loaf tin greased with coconut oil.
ingredients – wet
½ cup of applesauce warmed up and mixed with ½ tsp baking powder | ¼ cup of melted coconut oil | ½ cup of coconut milk | 4 ripe bananas (medium to large – or use 5 if you have tiny ones) | 1 tsp vanilla extract || optional ¼ – ½ cup of brown rice syrup | a handful of chopped nuts | regular chocolate chips instead of cacao |
oven
350 F / 170C
Bake for 55 mins – but check at 45mins.
instructions
Turn on the oven.
Start by combining all the dry ingredients into a bowl and then leave to the side.
In a different mixing bowl, use a fork to mash up the bananas.
Heat up the applesauce in a pan or the microwave, and then add the baking powder – it should makes a FIZZ at this point. Add this to the mixture.
Add the melted coconut oil, coconut milk and Vanilla extract.
Mix all the wet ingredients together.
Combine the wet and the dry together. At this point you can add the cacao or any extras you have deemed a possibility.
The consistency of the ingredients should at this point be a little bit like a moist cookie dough. Add it to the loaf tin.
Put in the oven and set your timer.
baking tips
As I said, this recipe seems to be super lenient, even on those who are sure that they can’t cook. The main thing I have learned however, is that being a little generous with the wet ingredients seems to go in your favour. By this I mean say pouring the coconut milk to overspill the cup and not panicking if you spill the coconut oil in there.
If you would like it to be a little sweeter you can add in some brown rice syrup as mentioned below. It has been researched by my pal Sarah who found it to be the safest possible sugar substitute. You could also use regular chocolate chips and nuts if that’s what you’re into. I use 100% cacao which I love, but the taste can be pretty intense if you are used to sweeter chocolate.
