Chocolate Cinnamon Banana Loaf

Chocolate Cinnamon Banana Loaf

You probably know the feeling of  “ick” I’m referring to – you’re trying to keep up with all the fruits and veggies you should be eating and then you see them sitting there on your counter. Once beautiful and firm with shades of yellow and green, they are now browning and wasting away like a grape in the sun. Some call them overripe. I call them rotten. That’s the ick I’m referring to!

Since I really only enjoy eating bananas when they’re more green than yellow, I’ve decided to not let them waste away anymore. Banana chocolate chip muffins it is!

Oh wait – I have no gluten free chocolate chips – I had to throw out a huge bag of them that were maybe once gluten free but spent way too many afternoons hanging around the Evil Mr. Flour in my pre-diagnosis days.

So searching for a tasty alternative to banana chocolate chip muffins, I came across this Food and Wine recipe for Cinnamon Banana Bread.

Vegan, sugar free*, gluten free, dairy and egg free – not bad!!

I amended a few things – took out the Xatham Gum (which is already in most all-purpose mixes), amped up the cinnamon and vanilla factor and added cocoa among other things and I have to say… it turned out great and much better than I expected for a first time go at it!

The loaf, although of the ‘dense’ consistency of many gluten free ‘breads’, was moist and flavourful and it may just become a staple in my house! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Ingredients

• 1 cup gluten free, all-purpose flour (I used Kinnikinnicks)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
  

  Chocolate Cinnamon Banana Loaf - a new favourite!

• 2 tbsp cinnamon
• 3 tbsp gluten free cocoa (I used Hersheys)
• Dash of salt
• 3 overripe bananas, mashed
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup agave nectar
• 1/3 cup milk (any milk of your choice – dairy, soy, almond, etc)
• 2 tbsp pure vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°. Lightly oil a loaf pan and line with parchment paper.

Mix all the dry ingredients into one bowl. In another bowl, mash the bananas and then add in the oil, agave nectar, milk and vanilla. Add the banana mixture to the dry ingredients and whisk until smooth.

Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely before slicing. (Or, nibble on it straight out of the pan like I did!)

*Optional: Mix a half teaspoon of each: cocoa, sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle onto banana loaf after 10 minutes of baking – this will give you the crackle effect seen in the photo. Tastes pretty good too!