Banana Almond Bread– It’s Gluten Free!
I’m all about seasonality. In the fall and winter, I enjoy pumpkins and other squashes… and I won’t touch berries with a ten foot pole. I’m glad to see that eating with the seasons is becoming more common because, let’s be honest, a peach that you buy at the grocery store in November just isn’t going to taste good… and you’ll probably pay a pretty penny for it since it had to be shipped up in a truck from who knows where. Why bother?
But let me ask you this: what’s the season for bananas? Mangoes? Pineapples? I feel like they’re in season all the time down at the equator where they’re being grown. So while we’re eating seasonally here, let’s not forget about some of our year-round favorites… like I apparently did when I realized I had a bunch of bananas gone nearly black on top of my fridge.
I made this banana bread for my sister. Since going gluten free, she doesn’t get to indulge in simple pleasures like freshly-baked treats very often. Besides, she’s definitely more of a cook than a baker, so I feel it’s my duty to provide her with baked goods she can actually eat!
This Banana Almond Bread is not only gluten free, it’s also dairy free and quite nutritious! Lightly sweetened with agave nectar, flecked with bits of dark chocolate, and topped with sliced almonds, it’s an indulgence you can justify. You know what I’m talking about (but it has fruit! and nuts! and whole grains! and antioxidants!).
Banana Almond Bread
© Copyright 2012 Carly Sullivan, Tart to Heart
Yield: 1 loaf, about 12 slices
Ingredients:
- 1 cup almond meal/flour
- 1/2 cup millet flour
- 1/2 cup teff flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- 2 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped (or chips)
- 1 cup mashed bananas (about 3 medium)
- 1/2 cup agave nectar (I used dark, but any kind is fine)
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 3 eggs
- 1/8 tsp almond extract (optional)
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds (slivered would also be fine)
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a standard loaf pan and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the almond meal, millet flour, teff flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add the chocolate and stir to combine.
- In another bowl, whisk together the mashed bananas, agave, oil, eggs, and almond extract.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and top with the almonds.
- Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45-50 minutes. If it starts to get too dark, tent with foil for the remaining time in the oven.
- Remove to a wire rack and let cool at least ten minutes. Slide a knife around the edges to loosen, then tip out of the pan. Let cool until barely warm before slicing (if you can stand to wait). Enjoy!
Looks delicious!
Hmmm…It’s been a while since I’ve had banana bread! This looks great (and much healthier than the kind I’m used to eating!).
I’m trying this one- as soon as my bananas turn black
!
Love the added touch of almonds on top – YUMMERS:)
Looks fantastic. I love the almonds on the top – very pretty.
Ohhh Carly this looks deLISH. I’ve a question, do you know if it would work to substitute ww pastry flour for the millet and teff flour? Or might that throw off the texture or something? Thanks, girl =)
-Theresa
I definitely think you could do that!
Thanks girl!
i always struggle with banana bread. i’ll have to try this out
Reblogged this on Healthy Glow Nutrition and commented:
Gluten Free Banana Almond Bread
What a beautiful looking bread. Wow! Following your blog now. Love how healthy it is!
Thanks so much! Let me know if you try the recipe!
Looks yummy! I would love to try this recipe.
Ooh wow this looks fabulous! I’ve been wanting to try baking with almond meal/flour, but it’s so expensive!! I might have to resort to processing my sliced almonds. Does almond flour act the same way as flour or do you have to add other flours (like the teff/millet in this one)?
Almond flour is a bit expensive but trust me that grinding your own almonds is such a pain! I ordered mine from Honeyville online. Almond flour acts differently than other flours. It absorbs less liquid and has no gluten so it makes a crumblier product. Don’t be afraid to try it though!
This is absolutely delicious!!!
Really want to try this! Love that it is both gf and df!