Frugal Recipe: Gluten Free Banana Bread

Submitted By Helen Chin Lui 

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 40-45 minutes at 350 degree

Makes one loaf


Ingredients:
1 ¾ cup of gluten free flour (see notes below)
1 teaspoon either xanthan or guar gum (binding agent)
1 teaspoon of baking soda
½ teaspoon of salt
½ cup of sugar
1/3 cup of vegetable shortening or butter
2 large or x-large eggs
4-5 medium or 3 large ripe bananas
½ cup of walnuts or any nut you prefer (optionally)

Directions:
· Turn on oven
· Lightly spray fat, loaf pan
· In one bowl, mix flour, xantham or guar gum, baking soda, and salt and set aside.
· In another bowl, with a beater, mix fat and sugar until light and fluffy.
· Add eggs to the fats mixture and continue to beat until incorporated.
· Add ripe bananas to the fats (bananas will be chunky)
· Turn down beater speed and slowly add flour mixture and 1/4cup of nuts to bananas mixture and mix until blended. If the mixture is too thick, add 1 to 2 tablespoon of milk
Spoon mixture into loaf pan and top with remaining nuts.
Since all oven cooking time varies, bake somewhere between 40-50 minutes at 350 degrees. To test for doneness, insert toothpick in the middle of loaf and it is done when toothpick comes out clean. (Start testing for doneness when you can smell the banana bread cooking.) Cool for 10 minutes on a cooling rack. Invert and wait to cool for another 15 minutes before slicing.

————————————————————————————-

Gluten-Free Flour Mixture:
Yield: 3 cups
This mix can be used as a one-to-one cup substitution for wheat in most recipes. Gluten-free flour, mix the following ingredients

Ingredients:2 cups white rice flour
2/3 cup potato starch*
1/3 cup tapioca starch
* Note that potato flour is not the same as potato starch.
** All of the above items can be found at most supermarkets. Whole Foods carries all of these products. These items can be found at less cost at Chinese food markets, such as the “Super 88″ in Brighton and Boston.
*** If you do not want to mix your own gluten free flour mixture, most supermarkets carry ready-made gluten free mixtures.

Binding Agent:
All gluten-free recipes require a binding agent to make up for the lack of gluten. For each cup of gluten-free flour (or flour mix) use an appropriate amount of xanthan or guar gum (found in local market, I have not seen these items in the chinese market):
1 teaspoon for cakes
2 teaspoons for breads or pizza
1 teaspoon or none for most cookies


Frugal Fit Fun For Everyone! Subscribe Today


For More Great Tips, Get My Best-Seller On Amazon:

I hope you enjoyed this article about how to live healthier on a frugal budget and maximize your performance!

Interested in more articles about frugal fitness? 

Read My Posts:

Stay Frugal & Fit My Friends!

Frugal Fitness World Wide Wellness
Free Workouts & Nutrition On A Budget
"Crushing Fitness Costs Worldwide"


Also visit the Bootstrap Businessman

New Frugal Finance Blog Posts & Articles