Hello Y’all! I hope you are doing well in your part of the world. We’re at the tail end of the weekend and it has been the most restful one in a long time. Oh, and by the way the temperature in North Texas dropped about 30-degrees yesterday all of a sudden so for a minute I was contemplating bringing out some of my layers back out…. but according to the weatherman, it’s going to heat back up over the next couple of days.

Pollen and rag weed were pretty intense this week and although I got to rest and enjoy my days off, I could feel it being out and about. I love weekends! They’re my best days to bake because I have the time to take stock of what I have and what I’m craving. Since going gluten free, I have been trying to find healthy alternatives with lower carbs to add to my go-to list of recipes and I have to say that I’m still working on it. So far, I’ve found a brownie mix that kinda works – with some additives, and a pancake mix that’s so good you couldn’t tell it was GF. If you’re like me, I shop bananas by the bunch and freeze them for smoothies, Yonanas or pancakes when I have the time. This recipe was a way to literally get rid of some of the bags I had laying around in the freezer.

Baking a Gluten Free Banana Loaf/Cake!

I got some inspiration for this recipe watching a short recipe on YouTube but switched up the ingredients and added a couple of my favorites to the mix. Ingredients include: 4 Frozen Banana’s, 2 Eggs, 2 Tbsp Butter, 2 Tbsp Vanilla Extract, 1 Tbsp Chia Seeds, 2 Tbsp Psyllium Husk, A good dash of Cinnamon, 1/2 Cup Unsweetened Shredded (dried) Coconut, 1/2 Cup Gluten Free Flour, about a 1/2 Cup Milk (I prefer powdered milk because its gentler on my digestion), Erythritol Monk Fruit Sweetener to taste, Baking Powder.

P.S.: I’ve recently started adding psyllium husk in small quantities to a lot of meals, cereal and baking. Its tasteless, odorless but a great source of fiber which is good for the gut, burns fat and aids digestion. I’d recommend you try it; you just might like it.

Now Let’s Go!

Place the frozen bananas in a bowl and let it thaw for a couple minutes. Using a fork, smash the bananas. Add the chia seeds, butter, shredded coconut and mix. Add both eggs and keep mixing. Add the vanilla extract, psyllium husk, Cinnamon, and milk. Keep mixing. Add Erythritol sweetener to taste. Add the Gluten Free Flour and using a whisk, keep stirring. Turn up your oven to 325F. Spray or oil your baking pan – I used my bread tin this time. Pour in the mix and then gently tap the pan on the counter a couple of times to settle the mix evenly before placing at the top rack of your oven. Bake for about 30-35 minutes with constant checks. Turn down the heat and let it sit in the oven for another 15 minutes until its done and it passes the knife or toothpick test. Reason: Ripe bananas tend to cook pretty fast without cooking evenly through. Lowering the heat will ensure the top does not burn while the rest of the loaf is still uncooked.

After removing the pan from the oven, I let it sit on the counter for a couple minutes to cool.

Folks, this turned out pretty good and for those on a diet, this recipe works great, has minimal carbs, a great source of protein, Omega 3’s and fiber. Until I come your way again, stay fit, active and have healthy recipes for when you crave something sweet. I remain,

Periwinkle Starr