Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Refined Sugar Free Banana Bread... with some sneaky added protein ;)
Oh Banana bread... a winter warmer, a favourite for families, toasted or un-toasted with a cup of herbal tea....
That would sound like the perfect afternoon weekend treat for me, although all that sugar, gluten and dairy wouldn't agree with my body, or most peoples internal for that matter. So, in true yours truly style, I played with some recipes and came up with this delicious banana bread, a healthier version of the family favourite and the kids LOVE it!
Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Refined Sugar Free Banana Bread - Can I get a whoop whoop?
Why remove the gluten?
I guess the real question is what does it make when you mix flour and water? The answer is glue. So what happens when you line your intestines consistently with all that glue? Oh the implications are endless - in short, gluten can compromise gut health. Remember that your intestines not only transport all the bits through your body to excrete waste, but they also allow for absorption of nutrients through your intestinal walls into the body as they move through your intestines. So let's think about this - if your intestinal walls are lined with this sticky 'glue', then your nutrients can't be absorbed and in turn, your body may have to compromise by creating bigger pockets in the intestinal walls creating 'leaky gut syndrome'. Gluten has also been proven to activate the protein Zonulin, a protein that regulates the tight junctions of the small intestine. When zonulin is released in the intestines, the tight junctions open slightly aka - Leaky Gut Syndrome. Leaky Gut syndrome allows for bigger particles such as toxins to pass through the intestinal walls and into the blood stream.
Gluten has also been proven to activate the protein Zonulin, a protein that regulates the tight junctions of the small intestine. When zonulin is released in the intestines, the tight junctions open slightly aka - Leaky Gut Syndrome!
Gut health is the root of all immunity, and when its compromised there is strong research that shows that a poor gut is the root of all disease.
Why remove Sugar and Dairy?
Ahhh - I could go on about these for paragraph after paragraph, but for now so we can get to the recipe, both compromise gut health, cause inflammation and can imbalance hormones. Let's save the big details for a later blog shall we?
This recipe is packed with nutrients and protein. Happy baking!
HEALTHIER BANANA BREAD
Ingredients:
4 large ripe bananas (mashed)
6 free range eggs OR flax eggs
3 dates, soaked in 1/4 cup filtered water for at least an hour. Keep the date water as this will be also used in the banana bread mix.
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/3 cup chia seeds
Optional - 1 scoop vegan pure protein (I use Arbonne Protein Boost - feel free to add a scoop of fibre boost too if you wish, however you will need to add a couple of tablespoons filtered water)
1 teaspoon organic vanilla bean powder
2 tablespoons melted coconut oil (virgin, unrefined)
1 pinch of nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon of real, ceylon cinnamon
1 tablespoon of gluten free baking powder
Method:
Pre-heat oven to a 160°C fan forced
Mix all banana, eggs, dates and oil well with a beater or food processor until creamy.
Add all other ingredients and combine well.
Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes, whilst preparing a loaf tin, lining with baking paper.
Pour the batter into the prepared tin.
Bake for 45-50 minutes (insert a skewer and ensure the skewer comes out dry).
Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes then turn onto a cooling rack.
Enjoy a slice at a time - it's still a treat so avoid eating excessively!!