Yield: 10 servings
Time: 15 minutes active, 1 hour total
Ingredients:
3 medium-sized ripe bananas
60 g ( 1/4 cup) coconut oil (or sub olive or vegetable oil)
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar *(ensure gluten-free if necessary)
Pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
150 g (1 1/4 cup) ground almonds (almond meal) **
150 g (1 1/4 cup) gluten-free flour blend (or sub plain flour if not gluten-free)
2 heaped teaspoons baking powder (ensure gluten-free if necessary)
1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
120 ml ( 1/2 cup) unsweetened almond milk (or any other plant-based milk)
100 g (1 cup) fresh blueberries
To decorate (optional)
3 tablespoons flaked almonds or coconut
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit)
Peel the bananas and place in a wide-bottomed bowl, then use a fork to mash until you get a smooth paste
Place the coconut oil in a separate large bowl and melt over a saucepan of boiling water or in the microwave (skip this step if using any other oil)
Once melted, add the vinegar to the same bowl along with the salt (and cinnamon if using) and ground almonds
Sift in the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda
Add the mashed bananas, and mix well, adding the milk a small amount at a time until you get a loose batter. You may not need to use it all depending on how liquidy your bananas are - you may also need to add a little more milk if your bananas are dry
Add the blueberries and fold them in gently to make sure you don't crush them
Transfer the mixture into a loaf tin lined with greased baking paper (I used a one-pound loaf tin)
Scatter over flaked almonds or coconut, if desired
Bake in oven for around 45 minutes until risen and golden brown and an inserted skewer comes out clean
Once out the oven, leave to cool completely before cutting
Keeps covered in the fridge for up to a few days - best reheated in the toaster!
Note: *The acidity of the vinegar reacts with the alkali bicarbonate of soda to make the bread fluffy. If you can't get hold of vinegar, substitute it with lemon juice. **You can alternatively use almond flour.
Basic Substitutions You Can Make:
You can use any type of oil: coconut oil, olive oil or vegetable oil.
You can use any type of plant-based milk: almond milk, rice milk, soy milk, cashew milk, oat milk etc.
You can replace the ground almonds (almond meal/almond flour) with ground walnuts.
For a nut-free version: replace the ground almonds (almond meal/almond flour) with ground sunflower seeds.
You can use plain flour, wholemeal (whole wheat) flour or spelt flour instead of the gluten-free flour if you’re not gluten-free.
Source: Rhian's Recipes