Grain Free Banana Bread

This banana bread is a winner - it’s not only grain-free, it is also gluten-free, nut-free AND dairy-free. I’ve been trying to eliminate grains and dairy in an effort to calm down some inflammation I’ve been experiencing, but I’ve been missing having some baked treats on hand for sweet snacks. So today I got in the kitchen with the mission of creating something yummy that I could actually enjoy without blowing up like a balloon. I give you, my new take on banana bread!

Grain-Free Banana Bread

8 serves

Ingredients

4 ripe bananas
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup coconut milk
3 eggs, lightly beaten
6 Medjool dates, pitted
1 tsp bicarb soda
50g coconut flour
1 tablespoon tapioca flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon desiccated coconut
½ cup frozen raspberries

Traditional Method

1. Preheat oven to 160◦c. Line a loaf tin with baking paper.
2. In a medium bowl, mash 3 of the bananas. Keep one aside.
3. To the bananas, add the oil, coconut milk and eggs.
4. Place the medjool dates in a small microwave safe bowl and add 2 tablespoons boiling water. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Add the bicarb soda and mash with a fork. It will froth up due to the reaction between the dates and soda. Allow to cool slightly, then add to the bowl with the other wet ingredients.
5. Add the coconut flour, tapioca flour, and 1 tsp cinnamon and mix lightly until just combined.
6. Pour mixture into loaf tin and smooth the top. Cut the remaining banana in half length-ways and arrange on the top of the loaf. Place the raspberries around the bananas. Sprinkle with the desiccated coconut and remaining 1 tsp cinnamon.
7. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin for 15 minutes then remove and leave to cool fully on cake rack. Slice and ENJOY!

Thermomix Method

Note: I made this recipe with the Measuring Cup not inserted into the lid, so that I could keep an eye on the consistency. The idea is to ensure that you keep mixing to a minimum, you want to stop the Thermomix once everything is just combined to avoid over-mixing.

1. Preheat oven to 160◦c. Line a loaf tin with baking paper.
2. Add 3 of the bananas to the mixing bowl and mix 10 sec / Speed 3 / Reverse or until smooth. Keep one banana aside. You don’t want it to be runny puree, it needs to look like you mashed it.
3. Add the oil, coconut milk and eggs to the mixing bowl and mix on 10 sec / Speed 2 / Reverse.
4. Place the medjool dates in a small microwave safe bowl and add 2 tablespoons boiling water. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Add the bicarb soda and mash with a fork. It will froth up due to the reaction between the dates and soda. Allow to cool slightly, then add to the mixing bowl with the other wet ingredients. Mix on 5 sec / Speed 2 / Reverse.
5. Add the coconut flour, tapioca flour, and 1 tsp cinnamon and mix Speed 2 / Reverse until just combined.
6. Pour mixture into loaf tin and smooth the top. Cut the remaining banana in half length-ways and arrange on the top of the loaf. Place the raspberries around the bananas. Sprinkle with the desiccated coconut and remaining 1 tsp cinnamon.
7. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin for 15 minutes then remove and leave to cool fully on cake rack. Slice and ENJOY!