I love a moist piece of banana bread slathered with soft cream cheese. The only problem I have is, with the number of bananas I buy each week, using the overripe ones for plain banana bread every week or two is getting boring.
My grandma was one of those 1970’s women who broke out of her 1950’s homemaker role and became a more modern woman. She was different from my friends’ grandmas to say the least: She played tennis, loved fitness, drove a flashy sports car, loved vacationing and baking herself to a golden tan in the sunshine, had a job outside the home, and pretty much spoiled my brother, sister and I rotten. My modern grandma made her own yogurt, dried her own fruit, and tried her hardest to get us to eat more vegetables. I’m pretty sure she is why I am so fearless and experimental in the kitchen – I’d eat anything new or different that she fed me.
My Grandma Skip used to make a wonderful, sweet, moist zucchini bread every summer. It was one of my favorites, even if it did have walnuts in it! I wonder how bananas would taste with zucchini. And, as if that wasn’t enough of a challenge, I wonder if I can make it gluten free so I can share it with my friends who have issues with gluten. Looks like another experiment!! Off to the kitchen!
Gluten Free Zucnana Bread
- Shred 2 medium zucchini in your food processor, Vitamix or using a hand grater.
- Let sit in a colander in the sink so any moisture released can drain off.
- Grease your 9×5 inch standard or 5.75 x 3 inch mini loaf pans with baking spray (I use coconut oil spray).
- Preheat oven to 325° F
In medium mixing bowl combine:
- 1 & 1/2 Cups All-Purpose Gluten Free Flour
- 1 & 1/8 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
- 1 Cup Oats (I use Bob’s Red Mill Extra Thick Rolled Oats)
In same bowl add:
- 1/4 Cup Agave Syrup
- 1/3 Cup Pure Maple Syrup
- 2 Eggs (Room temperature is ideal)
- 1/2 Cup Coconut Oil (Room temperature/melted)
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- 3 Medium Bananas Mashed (not overripe, but with browning skins)
Using a large wooden spoon, stir in each addition until well combined. Batter will be thick.
- Stir shredded zucchini in by hand (using a large rubber spatula or wooden spoon)
- Pour into greased loaf pan (s)
- Bake on center rack in oven for 55 – 65 minutes (9×5 inch pan), or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Like most ovens, my temperature is sometimes a few degrees off, so I start checking for doneness at about 55 minutes.
When finished baking remove pan (s) to a wire rack to cool about 30 minutes, then remove from pans and cool completely on the wire racks. When cooled, wrap loaf (s) in foil then put into a zip bag and store in the refrigerator. These loaves freeze well – wrap first in waxed paper (seal all edges), then foil and finally a securely zipped freezer bag. Enjoy within 3 months.
I serve with whipped cream cheese, although you can make a simple glaze to drizzle over while the loaf (s) while still warm.
- 1/4 Cup Cream Cheese
- 2-3 Tsp Milk
- 1/4 – 1/2 Cup Confectioner’s (Powdered) Sugar. Add more or less milk as needed
TIP 1: I normally use 1 Cup of Sugar in my Banana Bread. When substituting Agave Syrup or Pure Maple Syrup (or a combination of both) for granulated sugar, make sure that you decrease the water (juice or other liquid component) by 3 TBLS (per 1 C equivalent/ sugar), add 1/8 tsp of baking soda (per 1/2 C equivalent sugar), and reduce your baking temperature by 25° F. I have already made those adjustments above. There is a really handy chart for sugar substitutions here.
Tip 2: When using mini loaf pans instead of a standard 9 x 5 loaf pan, reduce the baking time by 25% (so in this case the baking time would be 43 – 53 Minutes – I start checking loaves for doneness at about 45 minutes).
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