Wheatless Wednesday: Gluten-Free Banana Nut Bread

May 9, 2012

Gluten-free banana nut bread is so moist and delicious you will forget that it contains NO GLUTEN. This is no ordinary banana bread, in addition to the mashed bananas, the batter is studded with chocolate chips and chopped walnuts that give this bread extra flavor and great texture. A dash of cinnamon and a splash of vanilla add a subtle spice that brings the whole thing together. Enjoy this gluten-free banana nut bread for breakfast or as a mid-day snack.

Gluten-free Banana Nut Bread

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups blanched almond flour

3/4 cup cornstarch or arrowroot flour

1 teaspoon xanthan gum

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup dairy free chocolate chips, optional

1 cup ripe bananas, mashed (about 3 small/medium bananas)

1/2 cup Earth Balance (vegan) butter, melted and cooled

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place the chopped walnuts on a baking sheet and bake 5-8 minutes.

Melt your butter and set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, cornstarch, xanthan gum, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a medium-sized bowl, mash the bananas. Measure it out to make sure it's 1 C. Stir in the eggs, butter, and vanilla.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until just combined.

Fold in the walnuts. You could also fold in 1/2 C of dairy free chocolate chips if desired.

Spray a 9 x 5 inch bread pan with cooking spray and dust with cornstarch.

Pour in the batter and bake 55-65 minutes. After 30 minutes (or whenever the top b rowns) cover with tin foil to prevent the top from burning. The bread is done baking when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Let cool completely on a cooling rack then cut slices with a serrated knife.

Chocolate Banana Bread: Reduce the walnuts to 1/2 C. Increase the sugar to 1 C. Add 1/4 C cocoa powder. Omit the cinnamon.