Banana Bomb Bread {Allergy Friendly}

Recipe, Snack

If there’s one thing this gluten-free {and dairy free and soy free and egg free} trial has taught me is that I’m a carb girl. And a snack girl. Ok, that’s two things.

But really, I didn’t need a lack of gluten to tell me those things. I’m anti-low-carb diet. Especially when it comes to my own diet. I thrive on carbs. Good, whole grain, fiber-filled, nutrient-packed carbs.

There’s no doubt I’m a snacker. The whole graze-all-day thing doesn’t work for everyone {although it’s a great strategy for some} but it’s without a doubt what keeps me going.

Put those two things together {carbs + snacking} and I NEED baked goods at my disposal at all times. It’s a non-negotiable as far as I’m concerned. Making sure they’re healthy {ish} baked goods is the key.

Tearing me away from my bags of whole wheat and spelt flour put a tiny hiccup in my snacking requirements, but only for a minute.

I finally branched out and decided to play around with some non-gluten-containing flours and starches like sorghum and tapioca. {Others include brown rice flour, sweet rice flour, garbanzo bean flour, almond flour, oat flour, potato starch, etc.}

I first tried them in my coconut zucchini carrot muffins. I replaced the whole wheat flour with a blend of sorghum, tapioca starch, cornstarch, and guar gum. They were ok. Edible but not delicious. More a pure means of getting calories in, not necessarily a great gustatory experience.

Fast forward to this weekend. The three of us attending a going-away/engagement dinner for some friends, where among other great eats, were homemade treats of cake and brownies. Of course on the drive home all I could think about were those goodies. I had to have baked treats. Immediately.

So after putting the little one down for bed, I scrambled around in the kitchen and started tossing gluten-less ingredients all over the place. I made a mess. And a masterpiece.

Banana bread. The best banana bread I’ve ever made. I’ve struggled before to make a whole wheat, vegan banana bread that lives up to the Joy of Cooking banana bread I grew up on, and it always fell just short of my expectations. Well, not anymore.

Regardless of being gluten, dairy, and egg free, this is the best banana bread I’ve eaten. Ever. I really, really, really hope it wasn’t a fluke and I’ll be able to recreate it. I also hope my standards aren’t already lowered after a failed batch of muffins.

Hopefully in my haste to devour a sweet treat I got my portions and measurements right for the recipe. Considering this loaf is already long gone, I’ll be re-testing the recipe soon. I mean, it’s my duty to you, right? Winking smile

Banana Bomb Bread

by with a Side of Sneakers

Ingredients

2/3 c sorghum flour
2/3 c tapioca starch
1/3 c buckwheat flour
1/3 t guar gum
(can also use 1.5 cups whole wheat or AP flour)
1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c granulated sugar or stevia baking blend
1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 t baking soda
2 1/2 t baking powder {gf}
1/4 t salt
1/2 t cinnamon
1/4 t allspice
1/8 t ground cloves
3 ripe bananas
1/3 c coconut or olive oil
1/2 c non-dairy, gluten free chocolate chips (or regular)

Instructions

Combine dry ingredients. Set aside.

Thoroughly mash bananas in separate bowl. Whisk in oil & vanilla.

Mix wet & dry ingredients.

Stir in spices & chocolate chips.

Pour into loaf pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Allow to cool slightly, then remove from pan to finish cooling completely.

Why banana bomb bread? Because it’s da bomb. I have no apologies for bring back that horrible early 90s phrase. It just seems appropriate.

So, so, so good heated up and slathered with peanut butter. Mmm. Protein + carb + delicious = perfect.

Good thing there are 3 bananas in this loaf of bread- at least I was helping meet my fruit quota of the day, right?

Click here for more Gluten Free Dairy Free Recipes that won’t leave you trapped in the kitchen for hours or hunting down a million bizarre ingredients.

Great Not-so-Grains: Quinoa Muffins

Recipe

The first time I tried quinoa I was in college. I grabbed the teal box of the pantry shelf not knowing exactly what it was I was about to make. I poured the quinoa in the pot. I brought the water to a boil. I let it simmer away.

I starred at the odd looking swirly tails on each little white disk of quinoa. I dug in with a big spoon. I gagged. It was disgusting. The texture was bizarre and it didn’t taste like anything. Forget that stuff.

Fast forward a few years later and for whatever reason I decided to try it again. Thank goodness I did, because quinoa rocks. Seriously.

It’s easiest to describe it as a grain, because that’s pretty much how you use it. It’s really a pseudograin. It’s absolutely packed with protein. Now I love it’s crunchiness and the chewiness it imparts to a dish. It’s a great substitute for rice and perfectly complements a bowl of oats.

{Quinoa comes in a variety of colors from white to yellow to pink to red. This is a combo of a few of them.}

Quinoa Muffins

I’ve been having a thing for baked goods lately, so I figured I might as well make something packed with nutrition so finishing the pan wouldn’t be a problem.

I thought the chewy quinoa might be the perfect base for a hearty muffin. I was right.

These dense muffins are packed with whole grains and protein, yet still full of satisfying flavor.

This recipe starts with cooked quinoa. To prepare your quinoa, add 1 part uncooked quinoa to 2 parts water. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until water is absorbed.

I like to start with a cup of uncooked quinoa, which will make enough for this muffin recipe plus a breakfast or two.

Quinoa Muffins

Ingredients

1 Tbsp ground flax
3 Tbsp water
1 cup cooked quinoa
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup almond milk
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

Instructions

Mix flax and water together. Stir and set aside.
Stir together dry ingredients: flours, oats, quinoa, baking powder, salt, sugar, and cinnamon.
Mix together pumpkin puree, almond milk, and vanilla. Add to dry ingredients with coconut flakes. Stir gently just until batter comes together. It will be thick.
Divide into greased muffin tins. Scoop ~1/4 cup batter into 12 muffin cups.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.
Let cool slightly in pan then transfer to cooling rack.
As with most baked goods, these taste delicious still warm from the oven.