The Home Economics Bit
Key Ingredient
Bananas are packed full of essential nutrients. One of the most significant nutrients that bananas provide is potassium. Potassium is a mineral that helps control the fluid balance in the body, and also helps the heart muscle to work properly. Being rich in potassium, bananas also support muscle contraction during exercise and may reduce the risk of cramping. Another key benefit of bananas is that they supply an instant yet sustained boost of energy, so they are a great choice of snack before and during intensive exercise. This is because bananas contain natural sugars – in the form of sucrose, fructose and glucose – and they also contain fibre, making them an ideal source of calories and energy.
Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
The banana bread lockdown mania may be over, but banana bread remains a go-to recipe in our house. This chocolate chip banana bread is definitely our favourite. Its sweet, caramelised crust and the addition of chocolate chips makes it pretty irresistible (even for someone like me who has never been a big fan of bananas!) Adapted from Donal Skehan's Chocolate Chip Banana Bread recipe Chocolate Chip Banana Bread | Donal Skehan | EAT LIVE GO
Ingredients
- 100 g butter softened, plus extra to grease
- 100 g soft light brown sugar
- 75 g caster sugar
- 250 g gluten free self-raising flour sieved
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp baking powder ensure gluten free
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 3 large bananas very ripe
- 70 g milk chocolate chips ensure gluten free
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/Fan 160°C.
- Grease a 2lb loaf tin and line with parchment paper.
- Beat the caster sugar, 75g soft light brown sugar and the butter in a bowl until light and pale (using an electric mixer will speed this up).
- Add in a little gluten free flour and one egg. Mix through, repeat with the other egg and the rest of flour, baking powder, vanilla and a pinch of salt until everything is mixed through and smooth.
- Peel the bananas and mash two of them well.
- Add to your cake mixture and stir through along with the chocolate chips.
- Pour the mix into the prepared loaf tin, slice the remaining banana in half lengthways and arrange on the top of the loaf.
- Sprinkle with the remaining brown sugar then place in the oven for approximately 50-55 minutes.
- Cool for 10 minutes in the tin before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.