Grain-Free Banana Bread

Sep 3

Sep 3 Grain-Free Banana Bread

Vegetarian, Vegan, Sweet, Snacks, Sides, Grain-Free, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Breakfast, Brunch, Bread

A classic through and through, this healthy banana bread recipe is tender and soft, with just the right amount of sweetness. Greek yogurt and nut/seed butter helps retain moisture without becoming oily, and a combination of grain-free flours creates a light, fluffy texture. Choose your mix-ins, make it dairy-free or not, this recipe is a the perfect afternoon snack, or breakfast! Slather in nut, seed or butter butter, and enjoy.

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Is banana bread ever not satisfying?! Nope. Banana bread is cozy comfort for all seasons. Grain-free snacks like this are my favorite because not only do they digest well, but they are so much more nutritionally dense than your run-of-the-mill café treat. It feels like an indulgence, but will fuel you so much better than picking up a granola bar at the corner store!

The natural sweetness, starchy structure and moisture of bananas makes them the ideal addition to any loaf treat, especially when baking with alternative flours! This recipe is crazy simple, and easily adapted to whatever you have in your pantry/fridge, and your dietary needs. I’ll vote for homemade snacks every day of the week, and I think after making this banana bread, you’ll agree with me…

Ingredient Fun Facts + Substitutions:

- bananas: are kind of magical. Bananas are such a versatile ingredient. I particularly love using them to make my paleo Banana Egg Pancakes ! They can play sweetener, caramelizer, carbohydrate structure and moisture-retainer. High in potassium, fiber, and vitamin C, beyond banana bread, they can be added to a lot of different baked goods to replace some sweetener and create a moist crumb
- the almond-coconut-tapioca combo: I love using different ratios of these grain-free flours for my baking. Almond flour is high in protein, healthy fats and fiber, and creates a dense, and moist crumb. Coconut is high in fiber and healthy fats, as well as being highly absorbant, acting as a good binding flour. Tapioca flour, or the starch from cassava root, i is high in carbs which provides a good elasticity and structure for baked goods. In conjunction with a leavening agent such as baking soda, tapioca helps create a fluffy texture for your banana bread
- greek yogurt: high in protein and healthy fats, yogurt provides a great alternative to oil in some baked goods and breads. The thick texture and fat, helps retain moisture without feeling overly oily
- eggs: why room temperature? For this recipe, beating in eggs that are room temperature help to create great volume in the batter and make for a fluffier banana bread. This is especially important with grain-free and gluten-free baking where creating proper rise is more challenging without the gluten protein structure.

How to Make Grain-Free Banana Bread

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease a bread loaf tin and line with a piece of parchment paper for easy removal (optional)

2. Mix dry ingredients in a medium bowl until thoroughly combined, set aside

3. In a large bowl, add all wet ingredients except eggs, and beat with an electric mixer, or by hand, until smooth

4. Add 1 egg at a time to the wet mixture, beating until smooth

5. Fold in mix-ins with a spatula until evenly distributed, and transfer the batter into the prepared baking tin. Optional: Sprinkle with additional walnuts on top

6. Bake at 350 for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until a tooth pick comes out dry

7. Let cool for at least 1 hour before removing from the tin and slicing. Store covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, or 1 week in the fridge in an airtight container.

Yield: 8 Slices (1 Loaf)

Author: Samantha Sterman

Prep time: 15 MCook time: 1 hourTotal time: 1 H & 15 M

Ingredients:

Dry Ingredients:

1 cup almond flour
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp salt

Wet Ingredients:

3 medium ripe bananas, mashed (approximately 1 1/4 cups)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 nut butter or seed butter
1 tbsp maple syrup (optional)
2 tbsp melted butter or coconut oil
1/4 cup greek yogurt*
3 eggs room temp

Mix-ins:

1/4 cup chocolate chips/chopped dates/raisins
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (more for topping)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a bread loaf tin and line with a piece of parchment paper for easy removal (optional)
Mix dry ingredients in a medium bowl until thoroughly combined, set aside
In a large bowl, add all wet ingredients except eggs, and beat with an electric mixer, or by hand, until smooth
Add 1 egg at a time to the wet mixture, beating until smooth
Fold in mix-ins with a spatula until evenly distributed, and transfer the batter into the prepared baking tin. Optional: Sprinkle with additional walnuts on top
Bake at 350 for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until a tooth pick comes out dry
Let cool for at least 1 hour before removing from the tin and slicing. Store covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, or 1 week in the fridge in an airtight container.