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Gluten-Free & Wheat-Free
Banana Bread (Variation) with Chia Seed and Whey Protein
Recipe

GF Recipe Summary

Gluten-Free Banana Bread (Variation) with Chia Seed and Whey Protein: Perhaps the best gluten-free banana bread ever, and the closest thing to "real" banana bread possible - flavor, texture, and overall appeal.

This is a VARIATION to the GF Banana Bread Recipe that appears on Page 176 in our Gluten-Free and Wheat-Free Gourmet Desserts book, that although a bit more complex than the original recipe, delivers a gluten-free banana bread that is without equal! We use the latest and greatest gluten-free baking techniques and ingredients to achieve results that could only otherwise be obtained using wheat or gluten-containing ingredients. I am rather sure most anyone would find this banana bread indistinguishable from its wheat-containing counterpart.

The banana cake retains the delicious flavor of the original, while making the texture and consistency even more like the "real thing". In addition, this recipe variation brings with it some rather healthful additions and alterations that lower the overall glycemic index, increase fiber, and increase protein, all while creating an unbeatable banana bread. Chia Seed and Isolated Whey Protein come together with other excellent gluten-free diet ingredients like ground flax seed, inulin, and buckwheat.

This recipe makes use of our Gluten-Free Chia Slurry Recipe featured here on our Gluten-Free Recipes Library. The chia-slurry introduces wonderful texture enhancement and binding properties, as does the whey protein. The Chia Seed brings healthful Omega-3 fats into the equation, and the recipe (in general) is now tailored to be a bit more low-calorie, diabetes / diabetic-friendly, lower glycemic-index than the original, with added fiber, vitamins, and overall nutritional improvements. In addition, the isolated whey-protein is the only remaining dairy-derivative and should result in a casein-free bread as well.

See this link to our Gluten-Free Blog about isolated whey protein if you want more insight into that ingredient.

Gluten-Free Recipe Card and Pictures

Gluten-Free Banana Bread (Variation) with Chia Seed and Whey Protein
(above) A couple lovely slices of GF banana bread ready to eat.

See "Varations" section below for the alterations to ingredients and baking instructions.

These pictures of the gluten-free Banana Bread (variation), featuring the whey-protein and chia seed, demonstrate how well this bread holds together — see how it has plenty of gluten-like hold-together ability and "spring" or "bounce" like a normal gluten-containing bread.

Gluten Free Banana Bread (Variation) with Chia Seed and Whey Protein

Variations

Ingredients Alterations
ALTER THE RECIPE ON PAGE 176 of our Cookbook AS FOLLOWS:

REPLACE Almond Paste with: 
  ¼ Cup Almond Butter, and
  ¼ Cup Agave Nectar

REDUCE vegetable oil to ⅓ Cup
  note: I used Walnut Oil, though canola is fine.

REPLACE Buttermilk with ½ Cup Isolated Whey Protein

ADD ¾ Cup Chia Slurry
  note: see hyperlink above for slurry-creation instructions

REDUCE White Rice flour to 1 Cup
ADD ¼ Cup Inulin Powder (i.e., ground Chicory root)
ADD ¼ Cup ground Flax Seed
ADD ½ Cup Light Buckwheat Flour

INCREASE Baking Powder to 1 Tablespoon
INCREASE ground Cinnamon to 1 Tablespoon

All other ingredients, if not removed, replaced,
or otherwise altered above, remain and 
maintain original measurements.

Directions Alterations

Begin by preparing the pre-hydrated Chia Seed and have the Chia-Slurry ready for use, but keep the slurry in your blender for a final mixing just prior to incorporating into the recipe a few steps down the list below...

Pre-Combine dry ingredients, except baking powder and soda, in a large bowl, and mix with a fork or spoon until all dry ingredients are evenly distributed (i.e., mix all flours and whey-protein together). This is done to ensure best distribution of whey-protein primarily, which produces the optimal texture results while avoiding any lump-forming-potential from whey clumping up in liquids if added directly.

In step 1 of the original recipe, simply add almond-butter and agave nectar at point almond-paste was used.

In step 2 of the original recipe, omit buttermilk.

Step 3 of the original recipe remains the same.

Step 4 of the original recipe is altered as follows: add walnuts AND chia-slurry (perform final blend/chop/mix of chia slurry prior to measuring and incorporating - this helps maintain maximum air-volume addition into bread too); mix.

Step 5 of the original recipe is altered simply to incorporate your pre-mixed flours and whey-protein into mix now. (whereas the original recipe had you adding individual flours at this point).

Steps 6 and 7 of the original recipe remain the same.

Step 8: Bake time is increased to one hour (60 minutes).

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