Banana Walnut Bread (gluten free & vegan)

I had a major craving for banana bread the other day, but didn’t have a recipe that I love so I checked out my go-to site for gluten free baked goods, Sarah Bakes Gluten Free. I didn’t have all of the ingredients that her recipe calls for so I did a little experiment with what I had on hand, made a few adjustments and voilå- it worked! I used Bob’s Red Mill All Purpose Gluten Free Flour because that’s all I had in my pantry. I also used organic vegetable shortening to keep the bread as light in texture as possible- not always so easy when baking both gluten free and vegan. Unlike most gluten free breads, my recipe does not call for xanthan gum which can be irritating to the gut and cause bloating and stomach upset. I enjoyed a couple pieces with some Irish butter and it really hit the spot!

P.S. While this recipe is both gluten free and vegan, I wouldn’t say that it’s 100% healthy. It’s definitely healthier than traditional recipes which call for refined sugar, but I recommend enjoying it as a treat- in moderation and after you’ve already balanced your blood sugar with a proper meal.

INGREDIENTS

Dry Ingredients:

1 1/4 c brown rice flour

3/4 c tapioca starch

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

Wet Ingredients:

1/2 c coconut sugar

2 tsp vanilla

3 medium bananas, mashed

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

3 tbsp water

1/4 c coconut milk drink, room temp

1/4 c organic vegetable shortening, melted

Stir in at the very end:

1/2 c walnuts, chopped

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8x8 square Pyrex baking dish with parchment paper.

Whisk dry ingredients together in a medium bowl, breaking up any clumps.

Stir wet ingredients together in a large bowl until smooth.

Pour dry ingredients into wet mixture and stir until combined.

Stir in walnuts.

Pour into 8x8 glass baking dish lined w parchment. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean and the top is slightly cracked and lightly browned.

Allow to cool in the pan for 20 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely before slicing.

Store in an airtight container.