Gluten Free & Healthy Banana Bread

Banana bread. I love the stuff. Perfect for a snack or with afternoon tea, but alot of the time its jam packed full of sugar and leaves me feeling bloated.

This is my go-to recipe for banana bread. It’s gluten free, delicious and moist and and stores well (unless you live at my house, because it barley lasts the afternoon).

You can thank the lovely people at lululemon and the brains behind it, Teresa Cutter (the healthy chef) for this one.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups smashed ripe banana (approx 3 big bananas)
• 3 free range eggs
• 2 tbs raw honey or organic maple syrup (I use agave)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 cup macadamia nut oil, coconut oil or cold pressed olive oil (I use coconut oil)
• half teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp baking soda + 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 cups almond meal
• 1/4 cup ground flaxseed (linseed) or chia seed (I use chia seeds)

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 320F (160C).
2. Combine smashed banana, honey, oil, cinnamon, vanilla, eggs, bicarb and lemon (the lemon activates the baking soda). I do this by hand with a wooden spoon, mixing fast. Or you can use a hand held mixer if needed.
3. Add the almond meal and flaxseed and mix well.
4. Lightly oil one loaf tin and then coat liberally with extra almond meal or desiccated coconut. This will prevent the cake from sticking. Or I prefer to use baking paper as I get worried that my pans might stick.
5. Spoon batter into the tin and bake. To decorate I slice a banana and place it on the top of my banana bread before baking. Other ideas are to use a handful of chopped walnuts and a light sprinkle of cinnamon.
6. Bake for 45 minutes to one hour (a skewer inserted into the centre should come out dry).
7. Cover the top with foil if over-browning.
8. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before turning out the loaf.
9. Makes one loaf  and keeps in the fridge covered for up to one week.

   Serving Suggestions:
   
   Plain and simple, as-is or lightly toasted
   Ricotta and honey
   Almond butter
   Sliced banana, blueberries and raw honey