Omega 3 Loaded Gluten Free Banana Nut Bread with Coconut Flour
Omega 3 Loaded Gluten Free Banana Nut Bread with Coconut Flour
There’s a little group of fats running around that is catching everyone’s attention. They are invading our kitchens and creeping up on our conversations.
They are even becoming associated with staying healthy! So what is this wonder fat we are referring to?
It’s something called Omega 3.
And if you are not too familiar with it and why it’s good for you, here’s a little breakdown:
- Omega 3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fatty acids that are essential nutrients for health.
- The body needs omega-3 fatty acids for several normal body functions, such as controlling blood clotting and building cell membranes in the brain.
- Our bodies cannot make omega-3 fats, so we must get them through food.
- Omega 3 fatty acids are also associated with many health benefits, including protection against heart disease and possibly stroke.
- New studies are identifying potential benefits for a wide range of conditions including cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, and other autoimmune diseases such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.
- Omega 3 is found in some vegetable oils, such as soybean and rapeseed (canola), flaxseed, and walnuts. Also in some green vegetables, such as Brussels sprouts, kale, spinach, and salad greens.
So, you can see why these little fats are an excellent thing to incorporate into your diet. But now what about that banana bread we were referring to…
Well, we DO have a banana bread recipe for you today. And this particular banana
the bread came to be as a result of 2 things…
The first was too much coconut flour.
The second was a ‘healthy focus’.
Bananas by themselves are already healthy food. But it’s all the additives, like sugar and oil that make an otherwise healthy item go from good-for-you to caloric overload. So the focus of this bread recipe was a way to use up a bounty of coconut flour and to make banana bread with a nice health kick. But it had to still taste good.
The results are pretty nice – very tasty while giving you a good dose of omega 3s. Gluten-Free Banana Nut Bread
Ingredients:
3 ripe, peeled bananas (about 1 1/2 cups mashed)
4 large eggs
3 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 Tbsp. Ground flax seed
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons coconut flour
1⁄2 cup chopped walnuts
Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
2. Prepare a 9 x 5 or 8 x 4 baking pan with parchment paper, or grease generously.
3. In a large bowl, mash the bananas using a mixer or by hand. Mix until completely mashed and smooth.
4. Add in the eggs, maple syrup or honey, and vanilla to the mashed bananas and blend well.
5. In the same bowl, add the baking soda, salt, cinnamon, flax seed, and coconut flour to the wet batter and blend well.
6. Gently fold in the chopped walnuts.
7. Let the batter sit for 5 minutes or so to give the coconut flour time to absorb the liquids.
8. Pour the batter into the baking pan and bake for 50 minutes or until the top begins to brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean.
9. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.
10. This bread will store covered for a few days at room temperature or in the refrigerator for a few weeks, or you may even seal and freeze it for a few months.
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