I woke up this morning with an uncontrollable urge to bake. And thank goodness for that, because nothing beats the mouth-watering sweet smell of banana bread baking in the oven.
I’m no Nigella, so this isn’t a feeling that strikes me regularly. But maybe because it’s a public holiday week here in China because of the Lunar New Year (happy year of the pig by the way!) and because J and I were heading out for a long wintry walk across the city that afternoon, carbo-loading on something comforting seemed like the perfect thing to do.
Banana bread holds a special place in my heart. One of those bad boys toasted with a side of coffee was my go-to snack before and between heading to classes as a university student in Sydney. Sitting at the campus cafe, reading the paper while nibbling that piece of gooey comfort, little did I know that half a dozen years later I’d be in Beijing baking up my own version.
Lots have changed since then. Firstly, my significant other is a celiac, and secondly, my metabolism is not today what it was when I was 21 (early-thirties can I get an Amen!) Thirdly, I’m thankfully much more conscious of the things I put into my body. So here’s my gift to you, a recipe for a banana-walnut loaf with all delicious moist sweet chewy goodness, and a less of the pre-packaged bad:
Moist one bowl vegan gluten-free banana-walnut bread (GF, vegan)
Makes one loaf
Tags: Gluten free, vegan, breakfast, snack, dessert
Ingredients:
- 4 medium-sized or 3 large ripe bananas
- 4 tbs agave syrup
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 4 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 3 tbs melted coconut oil
- 3/4 cup of coconut milk (or use another dairy-free milk)
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 psyllium husk ‘egg’ (1 tbs psyllium husk whisked together with 4 tbs water)
- 1 cup of buckwheat flour
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 1/2 cup gluten-free oats
- 1 cup gluten-free flour (I use Bob Red Mills)
- 3/4 cup of walnuts chopped into small pieces
Instructions:
- Preheat over to 170 degrees Celsius (about 338 Fahrenheit)
- In a large bowl mash up the bananas, add the coconut milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon, salt, agave, brown sugar and coconut oil and psyllium husk ‘egg,’ and give it a good stir
- Add the baking powder and stir
- Add all gluten-free flour, buckwheat, almond, oats and mix
- Stir in the walnuts
- Pour into a bread baking tin
- Bake for 1 hour – or until it’s golden brown and cracking across the top
- Let cool and serve!
This will keep in the fridge in an air-tight container for a few days, or (in the highly unlikely scenario that they’re not gobbled up in that time) you can slice them up and freeze them for a longer period.
Tried this recipe? Let me know what you think in the comments below!