So here’s one thing you need to know about me, I love sweet breakfasts (and for that matter sweet treats too).
I think most of the time (like 5 times a week) you will find me gravitating towards the sweet options, so when I realized that gluten was making me feel bloated, at first I had a bit of a panic attack! Moving to a gluten-free diet seemed so hard to me.
How about all the sweet treats I love? Will I never be able to eat them again?
But then I calmed down, put on my food scientist hat on and started to develop some of my favorites as gluten-free recipes. There are great gluten-free flour alternatives available in the market now that allow you to create some great products without sacrificing texture or flavor which were super important to me.
These gluten free products taste amazing, are super healthy food options, great treats for breakfast or a nourishing good-for-you gluten free snack and you don’t feel like you are missing out. WIN-WIN-WIN in my book!
This banana and chocolate chip gluten free bread is one of them! It’s moist, with a nice crust on the outside and gooey melty chocolate. Smells amazing while baking in the oven and no one will know it is gluten free.
I am sure you will not be disappointed!
How to include more plant-based meals in your diet
Now it is important to note that I do not have celiac disease (which is an autoimmune disease, where gluten triggers the immune system to attack the small intestine. Even trace amounts of gluten can cause significant damage. With repeated attacks, the small intestine loses its ability to absorb vital nutrients, such as calcium and iron. In the long run, if untreated, celiac disease can cause more serious health issues like osteoporosis and iron-deficiency anemia, as well as other autoimmune disorders, extreme fatigue, infertility, neurological problems and, in a very small percentage of cases, lymphoma of the small intestine. If you think you may have celiac disease it is super important to get diagnosed by a doctor and treated accordingly).
In my case, I just have a gluten sensitivity and it helps with overall inflammation to avoid eating gluten. I feel more energized, have less bloating and feel better overall if I limit my gluten consumption so that is what I do.
Nutrition Tips:
Before we dive into the recipe (which by the way is a super easy gluten-free recipe to make), here are some nutrition tips on the benefits of some of the ingredients that I used:
Gluten-free flour
If you have a gluten intolerance then these alternative flours are easier to digest and don’t cause bloating. There are some really good ones in the market now and I have tagged my favorites for you below.
Chia seeds
Chia seeds are members of the mint family. Ancient seeds once cultivated by the Aztecs, they grow most readily in Mexico and the U.S. Southwest. An ounce of chia seeds (about 2 tablespoons) contains 138 calories, 10 grams of fiber, 9 grams of fat and 5 grams of protein, as well as 17 percent of your daily calcium needs, 12 percent of your iron and 23 percent of your magnesium.
They are loaded with antioxidants, fiber, quality protein and omega-3 fatty acids (which are super important for brain health). I love adding them to smoothies, yogurt bowls, chia pudding and in this case to this amazing banana bread for an extra dose of nutrients.
Dark chocolate
With a wide variety of powerful antioxidants and the potential to improve several important risk factors for disease (heart disease, improve brain function and blood flow, etc), it is one of my favorite treats. Try to go for one with 70% or higher cocoa solids.
Products I used:
Gluten Free Flour - I like these two options Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Flour or King Arthur Flour Measure for Measure
GLUTEN-FREE BANANA CHOCOLATE CHIP BREAD
Ingredients:
- 250g (2 cups) gluten free flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 125g (4 1/2oz) unsalted butter, softened
- 250g (1 cup) caster (superfine) sugar (or 175g caster sugar + 75g coconut sugar)
- 4 ripe bananas, mashed
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5 Tbsp coconut milk
- 3 Tbsp chia seeds
- 175g (1 cup) good-quality dark chocolate chips (you can also use milk chocolate or semi sweet but I prefer dark chocolate)
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl.
- Mix the butter, sugar, banana, eggs, vanilla extract, coconut milk, chia seeds and chocolate chips in a separate bowl. Add to the dry ingredients and stir to combine, being careful not to overmix.
- Pour the batter into a non-stick, or lightly greased and floured 19 x 11 cm (7 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch) loaf tin and bake for about 1 hour, or until the bread is cooked when tested with a skewer. (I start to test at 50 minutes but it will depend on your oven). Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool.
- Enjoy!