Easy Delicious and Nutritious Banana Bread

So there is someone in this household that always asks for Bananas..... and it then drives me Nuts (or Bananas) that this same person won't eat them. But I love baking so the best option is making Banana Bread. 

I went to find a basic cake recipe and then modified it the way I like it and also trying to make it a bit healthier. So here it goes:

You will need:

4 ripe bananas,

2 table spoons raw Cocoa Nibs (DivineOrganics.com)

2 tablespoons Easy Cook Oats

2 tablespoons chopped nuts (I used Walnuts)

2 tablespoons slivered Almonds (extra for the top)

115 gram /1 stick melted Butter 

150 gram Brown Sugar (white will work too)

2 large eggs

200 grams Flour (substitute from sweet rice flower, from KodaFarms.com)

1 teaspoon Baking Soda

PreHeat the oven to 350 FH / 180 Celsius

Butter a Loaf Pan 8.5 by 4.25 (or similar)

In a bowl mash the ripe bananas (I just used the mixer),

add the sugar and the eggs and beat until nicely incorporated

add the melted Butter and the dry ingredients

(I do this a little at the time)

Mix until all is well combined, make sure you don't beat it to death,

that will make the bread all gummy.

Fill the batter in the prepared LoafPan and sprinkle some Almonds on top, 

then bake for about 60 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and let cool. Or eat a warm piece! 

Super yummy any time of the day! 

Gluten Free "Amaretti" / Almond Cookies Crispy on the outside and soft in the Center!

Thanksgiving is almost here and Christmas is not far behind, so it's time to bake cookies. Loads and loads of cookies. This year I'll be making many varieties and most of them will be GLUTEN FREE. Oh and we're making Amaretti to start, let me tell you, these babies are super delicious, easy to make and yippeeh they are gluten free too.

Amaretti are a staple in Italy, they have a distinctive Almond aroma and are nice and crispy on the outside but have a wonderful soft and chewy center. Wonderful with some hot chocolate or a hot cup of java.




Here is what you need:

400 g ground almonds
300 g superfine sugar
3 tbsp sweet rice flour (I use Koda Farms Mochiko Sweet Rice Flour)
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp cinnamon
3 large eggs
2 tsp almond flavor
1 sprinkle of salt

powdered sugar to roll your cookies in


Pre-heat your oven to 325F / 150 C

Once you've weighed out all your ingredients, start by separating your eggs and whip the egg-whites with the salt until very stiff.

Combine all the dry in ingredients in a large bowl, mix the almond flavor and the egg yolks well and ten add to the dry ingredients. Then add the egg whites, combine everything well and form a big ball of dough.

Pour some powdered sugar into a shallow dish and prepare your cookie sheets (I like to line them with wax paper). With moist hands start forming walnut size balls and roll lightly in the powdered sugar, then set them on your baking sheets.

Once you used all your dough and placed the little balls on your bakin sheets, take a glass or a spatula and press down the cookies slightly. Then bake in the pre-heated oven for about 25 minutes. The cookies should be nice and crispy on the outside and chewy and soft on the inside.


These cookies are great fresh but keep beautifully for up to a week in a tin or other storage container.
Oh and if you don't have to eat gluten free, you can use regular flour, no need to buy rice flour just to make cookies one time.

ENJOY! And let me know what you think!

Tip: if you want a little surprise inside, put little morsels of chocolate on the inside of the balls and bake as normal.