Irene's Banana Bread

Saturday — we prepared for Hurricane Irene.

Part of me was all like, “THIS IS MY FIRST HURRICANE!!”
Part of me was like, “ahhhh this is my first hurricane.”

As I started to write this post, I was anticipating the lights flickering off, our marathon of “50 Best Documentaries to See Before You Die” to end, and the rain to really pick up.

I have to say, this little Yooper girl knows how to handle Midwest thunderstorms and even a “Snonami.”

But a hurricane? No clue.

We stayed up until 2:30 a.m. in anticipation. What we got wasn’t a hurricane — it was a 500-mile-wide thunderstorm and a Sunday morning free of church and responsibilities.

And then Sunday morning, we went out and explored… while it was still raining with 50 mph wind gusts. But if you have ever walked between the Hancock Building and Water Tower Place on a cold, windy Chicago day — you have felt worse wind gusts than Irene produced, trust me!

So what did I do instead of hide from Irene? I cooked (and cleaned a lot)!

I made a giant pot of my potato leek chowder.
I made banana bread.
I made donuts.
I made chocolate sauce to dip the donuts in.

If you are gluten-free, well then this is your lucky day! I’m going to share with you this absolutely delicious banana bread recipe from Babycakes NYC.

And there is also a surprise… I dare you to make the chocolate dipping sauce and drizzle it over the banana bread to make it the most decadent, home-style treat.

Erin's Favorite Banana Bread | Alicia Sturdy

Erin's Favorite Banana Bread

A gluten-free, dairy-free banana bread inspired by Babycakes NYC — moist, sweetened with agave, and topped with a luscious vegan chocolate drizzle.

Yields: 12 servings | Weight Watchers Points+: 5 points per slice

Ingredients

Banana Bread

  • 1 1/2 cups Bob's Red Mill All Purpose Gluten Free Flour (no substitutions)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 1/3 cup canola oil
  • 2/3 cup agave nectar
  • 1/2 cup rice milk
  • 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 cups mashed bananas

Sugar-Sweetened Chocolate Drizzle Sauce

  • 4 tablespoons vegan chocolate chips
  • 1/2 tablespoon canola oil
  • Pinch of salt

Directions

Banana Bread

  1. Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C).
  2. Brush your loaf pan with oil and set aside.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, salt, and cinnamon.
  4. Add oil, agave nectar, rice milk, and vanilla; mix until smooth.
  5. Fold in mashed bananas until evenly distributed.
  6. Pour batter into loaf pan, filling only halfway.
  7. Bake for about 20 minutes, then check for doneness. Continue baking until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  8. Remove from oven and cool for 30 minutes before slicing.
  9. *If you have extra batter, bake as muffins or doughnuts — texture will be moist but delicious.

Sugar-Sweetened Chocolate Drizzle Sauce

  1. In a double boiler or microwave, melt chocolate chips until 85–90% melted, with some pieces remaining.
  2. Remove from heat and stir until smooth.
  3. Add oil and salt, stirring to combine.
  4. Drizzle over banana bread and allow to set 3–4 hours for a firm glaze, or enjoy immediately for a soft, drippy texture.

Weight Watchers Points+: Add 1 point per slice when topped with drizzle.

food, Life, New England, Recipes, Sturds ThoughtsComment