Gluten-Free Banana Bread (RSF)
Not only is this banana bread gluten free, it is also refined sugar free and can easily be adapted to suit our vegan friends as well. This is the happy gut version of my Vegan Oatmeal Coconut Banana Bread! Coconut sugar and maple syrup are the primary sweeteners used here, each coming in with a low glycemic index (35 and 54, respectively). This is actually very low compared to white table sugar, coming in with a glycemic index of around 68.
This recipe doesn’t need a whole lot of sweetener in the first place, because the overripe bananas are plenty sweet on their own! The sweetness from the bananas is nothing to worry about, because it is accompanied with a load of fibre and other vitamins and minerals that balance that sweetness.
Having high levels of sugar in our blood and our gut can cause chronic disease, therefore we want to try our best to consume only small amounts of sweeteners, and only ones that have a low glycemic index. The higher the glycemic index, the faster blood sugar levels spike after consumption. Consuming a sweetener that has a low glycemic index releases sugar at a slower rate, therefore a significantly smaller amount of sugar will be in our blood at any time.
Here are your best bets when sweetening food:
Date Syrup
Maple Syrup
Coconut Sugar
Raw, Unpasteurized Honey
Blackstrap Molasses
All of these sweeteners are natural, therefore containing actual nutrients, unlike refined sugars.
When sweetening food, it’s best to do so naturally. Refined sugar causes a chain reaction in your body that is very difficult to reverse. If you would like to read more about the detriments of refined sugar on your gut bacteria and your overall wellbeing, please check out my article, Enter: The Gut.
*makes 1 loaf
Wet Ingredients:
2 eggs at room temperature or flax eggs (2 tbsp flax + 6 tbsp water)
1/3 cup vegan "buttermilk" (1/3 cup nut milk + 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar)
3 overripe bananas (small to medium sized)
1/3 cup coconut oil, softened
1/3 cup coconut sugar
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tsp vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients:
1 cup gluten free flour blend
1 cup gluten free quick oats
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp chia seeds (optional)
Add Ins:
1/3 cup chopped cacao chunks (for dairy-free) or dark chocolate chunks
1/3 cup raisins (soaked in hot water about 10 minutes)
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Oil a 9x4 inch loaf pan.
*If using flax eggs, make them in a small measuring cup or bowl and set aside for 10 minutes.
Make the vegan buttermilk in a small measuring cup or bowl and set aside for 10 minutes.
Let raisins soak 10 minutes in hot water.
Whisk together the dry ingredients and set aside.
Mash the bananas in a medium sized bowl with a potato masher or fork. Add the rest of the wet ingredients and whisk vigorously for about a minute. The mixture should be light in colour, a bit frothy and bubbly.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix with a spatula or wooden spoon until the entire batter is hydrated. Fold in add-ins.
Pour batter into the prepared pan.
Press some pieces of chocolate into the top, sprinkle with nuts, or coconut.
Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Take the loaf out of the oven and leave it in the pan for 10 minutes, the sides should release easily. Place the loaf after 10 minutes on a wire rack to cool completely.
*Optional: Sprinkle some coconut sugar or raw sugar on top immediately after it comes out of the oven for a sparkly finish.
Enjoy warm with a nice spread of coconut oil or grass-fed butter on top.
