Day 9 –
I am a very “free” person. I am dairy-free, soy-free and sometimes gluten-free and sugar-free. Some of my free-ness comes from my mold allergy/muscle fatigue/who knows what my stomach tolerates stuff. I have to be essential-oils free, too, if I want to keep breathing. When I first was so restricted, I remember being so anxious when I went out to eat or when I wanted to eat something that actually tasted good.
When I became fully gluten-free it was 2006 in Oregon and being GF cool wasn’t cool. It was quite overwhelmingl. I had a small budget. I remember using tapioca flour as the alternative to wheat and throwing out batches of gross inventions. There were few options for my dairy intolerance as well. I became dairy-free in 2002. My alternative to dairy was rice milk. I couldn’t have soy either so life just became sad. I had a magazine page up on my refrigerator for years which said “I was GF before it was cool”. Oh, the struggle was real.
Baking, one of my favorite things to do in the kitchen, has become much easier over the years. With more options made available for cheaper, I have finally learned some tricks. Here is a simple banana bread recipe which has become a go-to to lower my stress. It is so delicious. I give it away as gifts for the holidays and when I need a quick alternative to share with a friend who is also GF, DF, SF, etc.
Banana Bread by Steph Trowbridge
3-4 medium ripe bananas, mash with a fork
1/2 cup of sugar (more than half of other recipes)
1/3 cup apple sauce (one kid squeeze packet)
1/4 cup (or a little less) olive oil
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup alternative milk (today I have coconut/almond blend)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 table salt (1/2 the amount since we did half the amount of sugar)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp xanthum gum (one tsp for every single recipe is my go to, today I hold this since my baking flour has it already)
2 1/2 cups of all purpose gluten free flour (today I’m using Bob’s Red Mill 1-1 baking flour. My favorite is oat flour, but I don’t have it in my kitchen at the moment)
Heat your oven to 350 degrees. Mix all the wet ingredients with the fork so the bananas can maintain some mashed shape. Add the dry ingredients. Use cooking spray to coat the 8-inch loaf pan. One recipe fills one pan. Place the filled pan into the oven on the middle rack. Check the banana bread at 50 minutes. Test with a knife to see if the knife comes out clean. If not, bake for about 10 more minutes. This recipe tend to look a little lighter whether my regular gluten-filled loaf recipe. The knife through is the important part. No one wants soggy banana bread after all this work.
I love to talk about making GF, DF, etc, diets easier, so don’t hesitate to ask questions. Having to eat differently can cause anyone stress, but there are tricks to make life easier!
Enjoy!
-ST
Stephanie Trowbridge 