Healthy Recipe Tuesday

Wow! I am a really bad blogger. I can never seem to find the time to post anymore. So there will be a lot in this post. My day started out with me stalking my friend's blog and facebook. She has been waiting WAY too long for their travel call to pick up their son. To be exact they waited 8 months 1 week and 2 days! I really hope it's not gonna take that long for Bee but who knows. So I kept checking and checking and eating chocolate in between, and then Riley and I left the house to go to lunch with my dad and of course it happened as soon as I left. My father in law called me on my cell phone to tell me that my friend had responded to my FB post and that she FINALLY got her call. I thanked my father in law and hung up and started balling. I don't think I have ever gotten so emotional about anyone else's travel call before. I just know how she has been feeling and how hard this wait was for her, and I was so relieved that it was finally over for her. She was able to go to Korea in December and meet her son and his foster mother and she took a package for Bee then. Her husband will be leaving this weekend and he will be taking another care package(and hopefully the last one) for Bee. I am so overjoyed for them and can't wait to see their little boy at home with his new family. What a joyous day!! Congrats Audrey!

So then in celebration I decided to make banana bread. I have been experimenting with Gluten Free flour. Not necessarily because I don't like using wheat flour, but I like the idea of using a flour that is made from Garbanzo beans. They are high in protein and niacin and something else I can't remember. Anyways, I found a recipe and tried it and OH MY GOSH!!!! Usually I like banana bread but I don't go crazy over it because it is normally a little dense. But this was HEAVEN. The recipe made enough for one reg loaf pan and then a little extra for a small loaf pan. I put carob chips in the small one for Riley. It is so moist and just YUM!!! I literally had like 7 pieces tonight! This recipe is also vegan , no eggs, no dairy, no sugar( agave replaces it), and no butter. Here it is:

Gluten Free Banana Bread To Die For!!!! ( from Babycakes cookbook)

2 c Bob's Red Mill All Purpose Gluten Free Flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp sea salt (or Kosher )
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 c coconut oil ( melted)
2/3 c agave syrup
2/3 c rice milk,oat milk, almond milk (room temperature)
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 c mashed bananas
1/2 c chopped walnuts (optional)
1/2 c choc chips or carob chips (optional)

preheat oven to 325degrees

grease loaf pan with oil
whisk together the dry ingredients
Melt the coconut oil and add to the agave, room temp milk, and vanilla. Stir together
Pour wet into dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
Fold in bananas, choc, and nuts if using.
Fill loaf pan half way and use remaining batter as you choose (muffins, mini loafs, etc)
Bake on center rack for 35 min rotating pan 180 degrees after 20 minutes. Let cool in pan for 20 min on rack. Run a knife around the edges of the pan and flip loaf out. Cover with plastic wrap and store at room temp for up to 3 days. (If it lasts that long :)
Enjoy!!

Let me know if you try it!