Gluten Free Banana Bread

I made this for the first time two days ago and made it again this morning while my boyfriend was still sleeping. How we have missed banana bread in our home! It is so easy to make and only requires a whisk, some bowls, and the stove/oven. I am always searching for delicious baked goods that a) don’t require an all-purpose gluten free flour because I have yet to find one I love and making my own mixes is way too ambitious; b) don’t require my Kitchen Aid stand mixer. I love using my mixer but I don’t love cleaning it up. If you are wheat or gluten free you probably already have most of the ingredients in your pantry.

With the arrival of the baby we have also been eco-fying our house which includes throwing out old aluminum and non-stick scratched up pots and pans. After a lot of research, I chose the stainless steels pans from Norpro. They aren’t perfect but stainless steel is one of the least toxic materials for baking.

The recipe is adapted from the “Grain Free Banana Bread” recipe Shauna Ahern posted to food52.com several years ago and she knows what she’s doing. You can substitute the walnuts for hazelnuts or pecans, or even chocolate chips, or dried fruit.

Notes-

• Instead of all oil — 44ml (3 tb of coconut oil) and 3 tbs of apple sauce
• I use a scant 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1/3 cup of honey instead of maple syrup
• 3.5 bananas, or 4 small ones

INGREDIENTS

• 100 grams finely ground almond flour
• 60 grams arrowroot flour
• 50 grams buckwheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup maple syrup (grade B/2)
• 2 large eggs
• 88 ml melted coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I prefer non-alcohol)
• 3 ripe large bananas
• 1 cup crushed walnuts

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the oven to 375° F. Grease a 1-pound loaf pan.
2. If it’s not hot where you live, melt the coconut oil in a small sauce pan on low-medium and set aside.
3. DRY: Whisk together the almond flour, arrowroot powder, and buckwheat flour in a medium bowl (you will transfer this into the larger wet ingredient bowl after). Add the baking soda and salt and whisk them all together. Set aside.
4. WET: In a large bowl, stir together the maple syrup, eggs, coconut oil, and vanilla until eggs are incorporated and oil is not floating on top.
5. Mash the bananas with potato masher (or a fork). Add them to the wet ingredient bowl and whisk until everything is combined well.
6. Add the dry ingredients to the wet a little at a time, stirring as you go. When all the flour is incorporated and there’s none sticking to the sides or bottom, add the walnuts and stir a few more times.
7. Pour the banana bread batter into the greased pan.
8. Bake until a skewer (metal or wood) comes out clean, and the top is browned, about 45 to 50 minutes (I baked my first loaf at 50 minutes and the walnuts were a bit burned inside. Then I did 47 minutes and it was perfect. This depends on your oven)
9. Cool a bit then slide out of pan (I use a spatula and butter knife) to let sit on cooling rack or plate so the bottom doesn’t sink and airs out.

This freezes very well. Pack in BPA-free plastic wrap then in a BPA-free freezer bag. I do this in quarters, but I have also frozen a whole loaf.