Banana Bread from the Pantry

I was shocked to find that I actually don't have a gluten free banana loaf recipe to my blog. I thought that was an essential recipe to every baker's collection, whether they be gluten free, vegan, paleo, a picky eater, a kid just beginning to dive into mum's recipe box with the evidence of cookie batter across the counters, or a skilled baker on their way to publishing another cook book. Each time I made a banana bread, I skipped the recipe writing, and step by step photography because each time, I thought the recipe and the post must have already been blogged, up and out there for the world. And I don't know what took me so long to realize it either, but among the zucchini loaf, the apple or the huckleberry sweet bread, I couldn't find a single banana as I searched through my posts for an easy recipe to adapt for today's baking needs.

So today, tucked up in a little apartment kitchen, tucked up in a little apartment building, and tucked in
the heart of Montreal, I finally figured it was time to cook up a banana bread, both fitting for a student's budget and fitting for a gluten free me. 

I was about to head out today and explore the streets on my own for a few hours, perhaps even wander some parks, sitting down to read for a while, or to soak up some of the sun. However, as soon as I had my shoes on, and the keys to the apartment in hand, I suddenly had a desire to stay, to call friends over Skype, to bake, drink some tea, and not worry about the time, the cost of change in and out of my pocket as I passed through stores, and to take a little time just to feel as if I had given myself a chance to rest. It's been a busy month, and with finally sleeping soundlessly in the last few days here, with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables and nutrient packed foods, I finally feel more like myself, thinking a little clearer, and no longer sleeping restlessly, or grinding down my teeth in the middle of the night.

So with the drumming of construction outside, I chatted over Skype and mixed together bananas at the same time, one noise drowning out the other as the volume increased, but moments of instant silence would follow, giving a little time to recollect myself and carry on with the task of mixing and measuring and listening in to the headphones that carried my friend's voice. 

I also became occupied with the flow of photos that were being posted from the explore program, and as friends uploaded, liked, and commented, I was carried back into the moments and memories we had shared, and laughed to myself at our photos, and at the thought of how many jokes we can keep forever. 

Banana Bread {gluten free, egg free, dairy free, gum free}

{print me here}

This is kind of an everything excluded banana bread, an allergen free loaf, hooray! Made with simple ingredients, from the gluten free chef's pantry, there's a chance everyone will be up for a slice, and a slice that holds together when it's cut, can be spread with your choice of butter or dairy-free spread, and is still full of a delicious, rich and sweet banana flavour. My favourite is that using a mix of four gluten free flours, there's no need to add any gums to help hold this bread together, plus the bananas and honey help to bind ingredients in delicious flavour. 

Using the method of microwaving frozen bananas to cause them to release their liquid, then boiling to reduce the quantity of liquid but increasing the flavour, this loaf has twice the taste of banana. The added benefit of using frozen and overripe bananas is that they contain a higher percentage of natural fructose sweetener, so even without added sugar, your loaf will be deliciously and naturally sweetened. The touch of honey in this recipe is both for consistency, and because the flavours complement nicely with bananas, to create a perfect blend with each bite. For a vegan version of this loaf, substitute honey for maple syrup, or agave, as either have a syrupy and sticky consistency perfect for baking without gums or eggs.

Chocolate chips can be substituted for chopped nuts or dried fruits if you would prefer, but they seemed like a perfect way to make this bread a sweet treat.

{makes one loaf}

{Ingredients:}

1/2 cup sweet rice flour

3/4 cup sorghum flour

1/2 tapioca flour

1/4 cup arrowroot flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon 

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 very ripe bananas, frozen

Just under 1/4 cup honey

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup almond milk, can be substituted for your choice of alternative 

1/2 cup gluten free chocolate chips

2 tablespoons slivered almonds, to garnish

{Directions:}

Preheat the oven to 350°F, and line a loaf pan with oil and a sprinkling of rice flour, set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flours, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt, and set aside.

Microwave the frozen bananas, with their skins still on, in a bowl for 5 minutes, or until tender and slightly warm. Transfer to a strainer set over another bowl, and remove the bananas from their skins, collecting all of the liquid in the strainer. Discard the skins.

After allowing as much liquid as possible to drain from the strainer into the bowl, set the liquid over medium heat in a saucepan. Cooking until liquid begins to bubble and reduces by approximately half, about 5 minutes. 

Stir liquid back into the bananas, and mash until smooth. Mix in honey, vanilla, and almond milk, stir, and pour into dry ingredients. 

Add in chocolate chips and mix to combine completely. 

Pour the batter into the loaf pan, spreading the mixture evening into the corners and edges. Finally, sprinkle with a layer of slivered almonds, and pop into the oven.

Bake in the centre of oven for 1 hour, the loaf is finished when a clean knife inserted in the centre comes out clean. Let cool for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing and enjoying with your favourite cup of tea! 

Bisous et bon appetit! xx S

A Few Huckleberries From the Trees

Berry picking nearby our house is something that I've always enjoyed. From heading to the little trails that make up our backyard with towering huckleberry bushes which my sister and I would have to pull down to reach the juicy berries, to spending hours reaching the best salmon berries with dad and collecting them in doggy bags because we didn't expect to find so many so delicious and ripe at that time of year.

I took the dog for a run today, and as we walked back home under a sky which sprinkled rain lightly down on us, I just left thoughts behind and looked around. Little tiny droplets of red scattered the bright green bushes, and birds chirped and chimed as they fluttered unseen behind a wall of green leaves and the trunks of trees. I noticed this wallpaper of green dotted with red as I passed through a tunnel made up of huckleberry bushes, and finally reached my hand to pull one berry, juicy and swollen, which nearly fell from the branch as I knocked the surrounding leaves.

Holding the berry between my thumb and index finger, I instantly thought of all those times when my sister and I would fill buckets, bowls, and later our pockets, with these tart little berries, ecstatic by our achievement when they were brought home and compiled into one huge bin. We would sit there and sift through the bugs, leaves, and stems that were also brought in with them, and sneaking many to eat throughout the process. Eventually, we would make pies using the berries, a tradition that lasted through to when my sister left for university and no longer came home during the berry picking season. Instead, I would bake up a pie using a mix of huckleberries and salmon berries, never quite

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Holiday Pumpkin Loaf; It's Winter Here!

This weekend I continued to pull the dust-covered cardboard boxes from the cupboard underneath the stairs, some cracked and fraying from use year after year, and among them lay a tangled array of forgotten Christmas lights, baubles wound up in the wires like roses caught among the brambles, and finally underneath the mess, small ornaments to be placed on window sills and around the house. Fuzzy white snowmen on a sled, a small figurine of Santa Claus sitting by his fire reading a letter which rolls down onto the floor, and some snow speckled trees carved from wood. We've made a little village atop the large book shelf in the living room from little ceramic buildings that have their windows carved out, and I managed to pull apart the white cob webbing for Halloween to make a simple layer of snow for the buildings to sit on. I also love how as I post this to my blog, a thin layer of snow rests delicately outside along the deck and down into the garden. Sadly, the wind must have blown the thin layer from the trees last night, but I remain happy in this little winter wonderland of my own.

They buildings sit perfectly arranged in a tight oval, and when the yellow Christmas lights are plugged in, the windows shine brightly as if little families sat snugly in their living rooms. The bakery across, not a palm widths more for us, is warmly lit, and the small garage and diner are bright and inviting, both situated around a tall model of an evergreen tree, which I also decorated with mini lights.

I love the comfort of this little village twinkling brightly when no other lights shine, and wish I could leave the village on during the night so I could wake to the warm glow of the miniature village appearing to be bustling with activity and Christmas cheer. But dad repeats that I'll burn down the house with the strand of lights arranged along a wooden bookcase and fake snow.

It's started with cookie swaps and a few Christmas parties filtering into the season, and its already become busy. School doesn't let out until less than a week before Christmas when our house will be full of people and preparations for the friends that come around Christmas Eve and those who return for Christmas dinner the following day. I am determined to cook a gluten-free dessert for the day, and I'm sure I'll be inclined to bake some elaborate cookies.

Because with an everlasting love for the holiday festivities, the season brings about rolling up the cuffs of our sleeves, diving into the pantry to look for our favourite cookie cutter shapes, and with ingredients neatly lined along the counter, we begin baking.

Is there really any better way to awaken that holiday cheer than filling the entire house with the warm and comforting aroma of sweet gingerbread, cardamom and vanilla scents? I'm sure if you haven't already, walking into an aromatic home, counters scattered with ingredients and the sink full of dishes from baking just as a tray of cookies is pulled from the oven, that you'll be tempted to run home and whip up a batch of your own kitchen delight.

'Tis the season for delightful cooking and cheer!

Pumpkin Pie Loaf
Print recipe here.

Again, I have resorted to trying guar gum in this recipe, I actually have found that it helps in the binding of all the ingredients, and makes it so that the loaf slices without crumbling nearly completely apart when I serve it. If you would prefer to use xantham instead of guar gum, the ratio is the same, or if you would rather not use any, the recipe will still work. I only recommend that in your gluten-free flour mix you incorporate starch, whether that be corn, tapioca, potato or arrowroot, as these help with the thickening, and make a nice blend of flours that is easy to use. Otherwise, any mix of flours can be used, I usually stick to any variety of at least three for a reliable consistency.

Ingredients

3/4 c packed brown sugar
1 c pumpkin purée (I used canned)
2 eggs
1/4 c grape seed oil
3 tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp lemon juice

1 1/4 c gluten-free flour mix
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp guar gum

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a loaf pan with butter or oil.

In a large bowl combine the sugar, pumpkin purée, eggs, oil, syrup, vanilla and lemon juice, and beat well.

Set this bowl aside, and in a smaller mixing bowl combine dry ingredients; flours, spices, baking powder and soda, salt and guar gum.

Pour into the wet ingredients and mix. The batter should resemble pumpkin purée, although slightly darker and thicker.

Pour into the prepared loaf pan and set it in the oven. Bake for approximately 50 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean when inserted into the centre of the loaf.

Allowing the bread to cool completely after baking will make it easier to slice, and also let the flavours develop further.

With Water Droplets, Make Apple Loaf

It's become a nice weekend ritual for me to bake a sweet bread loaf before dad comes home, it's nice for all three of us to sit around our mug of tea, placed in a triangle around a cutting board with a warm loaf. The table is always littered with crumbs and the loaf is usually missing its other half when we've sipped, chatted, ate, and laughed. And with each new week I want to try something new, to experiment and perfect recipes, and hopefully hit a high note on my parents taste buds; I love the days when they exclaim after finishing a slice,

"Okay, this is really good!"

I love sharing the gluten-free goodies that I bake with family and friends, and those that eat gluten can compare the difference of outcome with either flours (their favourite comment still remains how crumbly some cookies end up - I groan, 'again?') Their positive response to the taste is encouraging, but really it's just so easy now. Their sighs of pleasure with the first bite into something straight from the oven is perfect. Could there be anything more satisfying than the approval of the hours you spent perfecting in the kitchen?

Going gluten-free may appear daunting, just thinking about all those dinners at friend's houses when they serve pasta or pies at dinner, pancakes and waffles for breakfast. However I find, especially now with so many options available in stores, and the changing approaches of consumers consequently influencing what is actually more readily available, the switch away from wheat is becoming much easier for everyone.

Last Friday mum and I went out for lunch after I had my graduation photos taken, and wanting to divert away from more stresses, we settled on a nearby location with a promising name. It's as if I find a hundred things to worry about, and they all descend upon my shoulders, nestle in my hair and between the fibres of my clothes like tiny water droplets from heavily weighed clouds above. I don't know the reason for this, and I don't like the feeling of it either.

Graduation photos should have been fun, and they were, once I was there and in my dress. But the hours before, as we pottered around town in anticipation of my appointment, I stressed about the condition of my hair, my makeup, the fit of my dress. And I know that it agonised mum to see me so worked up.

I am truly thrilled to be finally graduating, I just wish I could enjoy it.

The photographers were really good, although they were being as fast as they could with so many kids coming in, and it seemed as if we were just going through the paces as a horse would in training, they were jovial and made us all feel comfortable. I liked being in front of the camera, and just letting go of the tensed muscles involved in keeping my face downcast, a smile let me relax, and I could feel the tension vanish. I should do it more often.

Mum and I sat down at a table in a delicately decorated bay window of the Ethical Kitchen Cafe and Bakehouse, after we had ordered lunch, and my photos were past us, a block behind us. I was surprised by the gluten-free items on their menu, including tapioca buns, gluten-free Nanaimo bars, muffins, cookies, and more. I wanted to try them all.

A woman sat at a table with a glass teapot of herbal tea, the water could be seen to be coloured by the tea leaves at the bottom, and she waited for her meal as she stared across the room, clearly lost in thought behind the glassiness of her eyes. In front of her line of vision sat a large family, taking up the half of the room filled by an elegant wooden dining table. Members hurried behind the counter simultaneously as tasks needed to be finished, and they were clearly the owners of the business.

I had a Breakfast in Brazil, which was an array of fried up vegetables, peppers, tomatoes and snap peas, spicy kimchi, and eggs on a tapioca bun. It was so flavourful, and I could detect the freshness, and the quality, of all the ingredients. We later noticed on our way out, that a garden was attached to the side of the building where green plants towered out of planting boxes, and little plaques labelled the undecipherable green leaves to those without the green-thumb. Our little basil plant remains an example of this, as it sits in the window sill above the kitchen sink for a few weeks before giving up on being green, and begins to wilt, with it's stems slowly browning the leaves dry up before falling off.

My favourite thing about that restaurant was that mum and I were able to order breakfast as if we had just woken up, which it sure felt like, even at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. We needed a fresh start to the day, and mum needed an energy boost after dealing with the stresses I clearly had just created for myself. I hope that her sourdough apple crêpes and americano did just the trick. I know I felt better immediately after sipping the flower infused early grey latté I ordered. Warm, aromatic, and just the perfect interlude to stop the busyness of a frantic mind.

My baking is how I break from the quarrels in my mind, it allows me to hold onto something peaceful and relaxing, and in return I can let go of whatever is bothering me. I once asked mum if she found baking relaxing, or perhaps I asked if she would bake something on her day off, she replied,

"But I don't enjoy it like you do!"

Needles to say, there weren't cookies when I came home! (Don't worry, we've got plenty in the cupboard now).

Gluten-Free Apple Loaf
Print Recipe

A delicately spiced loaf, with warm fall flavours, this apple loaf is a perfect bread to be served with warm or cold drinks, or under a spread of variations of spreads and butters. As a moist and dense bread, it's a perfect substitute for sweet breads and loaves that can be found in coffee shops, but contain wheat.

Try it for snack-time, breakfast-time, or any-time!

Makes 1 loaf

Ingredients

1 3/4 c gluten-free flour mix
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

1/4 c melted coconut oil
1 egg
3/4 c coconut sugar (if you don't have any, brown sugar is fine)
1 grated and peeled apple, however sometimes, I leave the peel on which adds a bit of texture to the finished loaf
3/4 c unsweetened apple sauce

For something extra, add 1/2 c shredded coconut, this will add a bit of crunch, and also develop the coconut flavour a bit more in the loaf. You can also add any substitutions of dried fruit, nuts, or even chocolate chips to suite your tastes (or that of your critics!)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a loaf pan with oil or butter.

In a large bowl, mix together the gluten-free flour mix, cinnamon, baking powder and soda, and salt.

In another, smaller bowl, melt the coconut oil in the microwave and then beat in the egg. Stir in the coconut sugar, grated apple and applesauce. Mix well.

Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients, and stir until just combined. The mix should be wet and thick, but still runny.

Transfer the mixture into the baking pan and set it into the oven.

Bake for 45-50 minutes. A knife inserted into the centre should come out clean.

Allow to cool 5-10 minutes before serving. A longer cooling time will allow the flavours to develop and the loaf will crumble less as you cut.

Enjoy!

Something New, Something Amazing

          
This is the first time that I will be going away to camp without having an endless sea of nerves filling my thoughts before I leave. Tomorrow, more than half of my class is going off with the first year high school kids to help out and get to know them better as our aim in this course is to help them throughout this first year.

Before my first year of high school I went away to two different camps in the summer. Both, I went alone, and both were equally as frightening, although by the second I was fairly used to meeting new people, and could expect that only the best would come out of going off for a week.

First, I went away to a popular camp quite nearby, and one that had lots of praise from my friends. Unfortunately, the week that I went was one where I knew no one, and I felt that most other kids had made their friends in previous years.

I was young, and cliques should not have mattered, but for some reason I felt as if I could not break into their social circles.

Fortunately, the second camp, a horse-focused week with riding and caring for the animals, was very relaxed and there were only a few of us, under twenty. I made friends with a lot of the girls there, and overall had a better experience.

Perhaps it was due to the familiarity of being placed in such an unfamiliar situation, or because of the nature of the camp, which had kids with very similar interests to myself, and the smaller group allowed us to all get to know each other better.

My experience at outdoor school in my first year of high school was quite fun from what I remember. I recall getting to know a lot of new people, and began to relax as the days followed, and we tried out activities such as archery and traversing the ropes among the trees.

I hope that with this camp tomorrow, I will be able to help the younger kids to relax, and enjoy themselves. Their energy and enthusiasm will aid us as helpers as well, as it is much easier to get a group excited about an activity if they are willing, and it is also much easier to make new friends when you are confident in the situation.

My most recent camp experience, in the south of France this past summer, really helped me realize the importance of putting yourself out there, and the enjoyment you gain from approaching difficult or unfamiliar situations with confidence.

It was a new place, unknown to me, and unknown to my parents since I was traveling alone. Although, with a smile and positive energy, I was able to create friendships I could never have dreamed of before, and had the opportunity to meet people from all over the world.

Had I displayed shyness or buried myself behind a shell, I would have most likely missed out on so many memories which I cherish everyday. This camp helped me grow as a person, and aided a realisation that my world, home and to and from school each day, however much we learn about global issues and ponder social and political issues, cannot reflect the many experiences and people that await us in other parts of the world, and in many different times of our lives.

Two weeks in France was an amazing experience to say the least, and when people ask me how it was,

"Great!"

Never does it justice.

Would I have the mind set to reflect upon myself, and how I may have grown as a result in this way had I not departed on a flight alone, with my nerves spilling out my ears, and landed in a country where the language they spoke was only reflected in me by my broken,

"Bonn-jer."

And,

"Esc-que je puh alleh oh twa-lette?" 

From french class.

The french I learned was simple french, although my confidence in talking and forming sentences is what improved the most. I tweaked the pronunciation of my questions by the end of the two weeks, and was almost fluent in Franglais!

Our camp was situated along the southern coast of France, just outside of the small country of Monaco. Amazingly, we were able to walk right into Monaco without passport-checks, as there were no gates or patrol between the two countries. Down the stairs, we counted over one hundred and fifty one day before heat hit upon our backs, and to the beach was our usual destination, however many times we explored the nearby towns, including Nice for gelato and shopping.

Coupled with the heat and humidity, the difference from weather in England where I stayed previous was intense, and nights were difficult to sleep in as our rooms had neither air conditioning or large open windows to catch even the faintest breeze.

At eleven one evening, we ascended the stairs back to camp after watching the 'feu d'artifice' in Monte Carlo, and by the time we arrived back, we were very ready for a shower! The whole group was breathing heavily, and despite being such an energetic group, everyone was ready for bed after so much walking!

With these newly-made memories, I present my most familiar recipe as of late.

This is the loaf I usually bake on Sundays, so that each day when I come home from school I can have a slice of homemade zucchini loaf! 

Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread
Printable recipe.

This is my go-to recipes for weekends, when I want a tasty treat with my tea. So far, every time it has worked out, and ends up lovely and moist!

My no-stress loaf...
Makes one 9 inch x 5 inch loaf

Ingredients

2 large eggs
3/4 - 1 c brown sugar

1/3 c cooking oil such as grape seed
1/2 c unsweetened apple sauce
1 tsp vanilla extract

1 c grated zucchini

1/2 c brown rice flour
1/2 c sorghum flour
1/2 c arrowroot flour
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder

1/2 c walnuts or raisins, or anything else you would rather, such as gluten-free chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9 inch x 5 inch loaf pan with butter or oil.

Beat the eggs, brown sugar (starting with 3/4 c and adding more upon taste preferences), oil, applesauce, and vanilla on medium speed.

In a separate small bowl, combine the flours, cinnamon, salt, baking soda and powder.

Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and mix on slow until combined.

Stir in the shredded zucchini and nuts or raisins.

Pour the batter into the loaf pan, and place in the oven.

Bake for 45-50 minutes, then allow to cool for 5-10 minutes.

One time I made this recipe, I substituted the apple sauce for the same quantity in grated apple. The outcome was very similar, with the same taste! So if applesauce isn't available, this is always a perfect substitution!

For a moister loaf, add slightly more apple sauce, substituting the sugar if you would prefer a more savory tasting loaf, and vice versa if you would rather it sweeter.