s you probably know by now, bananas aren’t just for peeling and eating. They can be an amazing baking swap that also offer a long list of benefits for your body.
And in this banana bread recipe, they’re a standout in terms of taste and nutrition.
If you’re familiar with my work at all, you probably know that I’m all about the 80-20 rule when it comes to eating: 80 percent should be whole, plant-based foods (raw is awesome), with the other 20 percent being pretty much anything else you want.
Well, almost anything.
Because when it comes to that 20 percent, I’m not a fan of gluten, dairy, or sugar. Why? Because they don’t do your body any favors.
Which sounds like a real bummer, right? How are you supposed to enjoy comfort food favorites – like banana bread – without flour or sugar? For most people, cutting those three ingredients sounds like the death knell has come down on cookies, cakes, cupcakes, and quickbread (and that’s just the beginning).
Banana Bread Without Eggs
Guess what? If you get a little creative, you can still enjoy your favorites (with a few tweaks).
For instance, bananas can stand in as eggs or some of the flour in most baking recipes.
(Quick aside: one of the most exciting new gluten-free products on the market right now is Green Banana Flour. Used for hundreds of years to bake bread, cakes, and other starchy foods in Africa, banana flour is made of dried green bananas. It’s also an amazing resistant starch.)
But anyway, in this banana bread recipe we actually need the flavor of bananas, so we actually use ripe bananas. We also used a bit of gluten-free flour (Pamela’s brand flour, which is a combo of rice & tapicoa flours, was used in the test batches) to lend lightness to bread.
And because we used chia seeds and arrowroot powder as binders, we eliminated the need for eggs.
Banana Health Benefits
Whether you’re trying out banana flour for the first time or following my banana bread recipe below, your body will be glad you’re baking without white flour.
Although the final recipe tastes like the classic, you’re not just getting rid of gluten, you’re also getting some serious nutrients into your diet. Here are a few lesser-known facts about the health benefits of bananas.
Bananas:
- Aid digestion. Full of pectin, bananas help with digestion, gently chelating toxins and heavy metals from the body.
- Contain powerful prebiotics. Bananas help promote the growth of friendly bacteria in your gut.
- Help you absorb nutrients. Bananas help produce digestive enzymes, which assist in absorbing nutrients.
- Prevent acid reflux. Got GERD? Bananas are a natural antacid, and can provide measurable relief from acid reflux.
- Boost your workouts. Eat two bananas before a strenuous workout for extra energy, and protection against muscle cramps
- Lift your mood. Bananas help your body regulate blood sugar and battle stress.
- Reduce swelling. Bananas can cut water retention, strengthen the nervous system, and help you lose weight because of their high vitamin B-6 levels.
- Contain iron. Protect yourself from anemia, and strengthen your blood with added iron from bananas.
- Help your heart. Banana intake has been linked to lower blood pressure and they can protect against heart attack and stroke.
| Prep Time | 10 minutes |
| Cook Time | 12 minutes |
| Passive Time | 8 minutes |
| Servings |
|
- 2 ripe bananas
- 11/4 cup gluten-free flour
- 3 tbsp arrowroot powder
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 2/3 cup coconut cream or coconut milk
- 2 tbsp liquid coconut oil
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 21/2 tbsp chia seeds
- 3 tbsp hemp seeds
Ingredients
|
|
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a high-speed blender (like a Vitamix or Blendtec), blend bananas, flour, 1 1/2 tbsp arrowroot powder, 2 tbsp of maple syrup, stevia, 1/2 cup coconut milk, coconut oil, and cinnamon together.
- Stir in 2 tbsp of chia seeds and hemp seeds. Allow to sit for 5 minutes while the chia seeds thicken the batter.
- Spray a 24-count mini loaf tin (or 36-count mini muffin tin) with nonstick olive oil spray. Spoon batter into baking tin.
- Bake for 8-12 minutes, or just until the center of each muffin springs back when touched lightly.
- Remove and cool.
- In a small pan, whisk together remaining arrowroot powder, coconut cream, and maple syrup. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, just until the mixture thickens. Drizzle over baked mini loaves. Sprinkle with chia seeds. Serve and enjoy!
Get Even More Healthy Treats!
Yes, you can satisfy your sweet tooth and still follow a healthy eating plan.
You’ll love these 8 energy-boosting desserts that are so tasty you’ll swear they’re bad for you.
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