Banana, Date & Blueberry Loaf

Sorry for not posting much on here for some time. I started out with good intentions, but the reality is a little different. You know how life goes....

Winter (yes the pic shows you how cold it's been lately!!) and a few over-ripe bananas sitting in the fruit bowl inspired me to start looking for some Gluten Free Banana Loaf recipes for something yummy and nutritious in Miss 4's lunch box. After a quick google I came across Nearly Nigellas Banana Bread Comp and was inspired by the huge range of variations on the idea.  Combined with a sneak peak at the forum brought me across Zebraa's recently posted recipe which looks scrumptious, and a favourite recipe passed down from a good friend, I was inspired to make up my own variation.  So it's in the oven now smells divine!!!  Lets hope Miss 4 likes it....

Banana, Date & Blueberry Loaf

100g of dates

65g of butter

120g of sugar
2 eggs

3 over ripe bananas (chopped or broken roughly)

250g gluten free plain flour (I used the Orgran brand)

2 tsp of guar gum

2 1/2 tsp of gluten free baking powder (from the EDC)

pinch salt.

75g of frozen blueberries (or berries of choice)

1. Pre-heat oven (fan forced) to 150C and grease a loaf tin.
2. Add dates to TMX bowl and chop on speed 7 for 10 seconds. Set aside.
3. Cream butter & sugar for 30 seconds on speed 3
4. Add all other ingredient (except berries) and mix on speed 4-5 for 1 minute. Stopping and scraping down if required.
5. Quickly and gently stir in the blueberries using the spatula only.
6. Pour into loaf tin.
7. Cook for 45 minutes or until cooked through and golden.

Just had a slice of this warm out of the oven with a little homemade butter and it's wonderful!! Nice and light and spongy and not at all heavy.

This recipe could be so easily varied for some thing a little different:

• 
  
  Try some brown sugar
• 
  
  Add some spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg
• 
  
  Add some chopped apple
• 
  
  Add some chopped dried apricots
• 
  
  Add some chopped nuts
• 
  
  Try adding some honey and rolled oats

The possibilities are endless. Just make sure you savour some while it's still warm!!

As I was slicing this I found another 3 bananas needing something done with them... so that'll be tomorrow nights adventure!

GLUTEN FREE DOUBLE CHOC CHIP COOKIES

It's been a while since I've posted a new recipe here. Not by intention, but as we all know, life gets busy as these things sometimes just slip by quietly forgotten...

So in a desperate effort to find a home made and GF alternative to the biscuits DD was being offered at Day Care (says me as I just begin to munch on the second one while dinner is cooking...) I found this recipe in Sue Sheppards 'Gluten-free Cooking' Cookbook. This and her next cookbook called 'The Gluten-free Kitchen' are just beautiful books.  So here is my version of these & of course converted to Thermomix!

Ingredients:

110g white rice

45g raw or rapadura sugar

120g unsalted butter - room temp.

45g brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp of vanilla extract

75g corn starch/corn flour (GF)

3 tablespoons soy flour

1/2 tsp bicarb-soda

40g cocoa powder

200-250g of chocolate chips

Pre-heat oven to 170C. Line baking trays with silpats or baking paper.

Into the Thermomix bowl add the rice and mill for 2 minutes on Speed 9. Set aside.

Add castor sugar and grind for 10 seconds on Speed 9.
Add butter & brown sugar and cream on Speed 4 for 40 seconds. Scrape down and repeat if necessary.
Add the egg and vanilla and beat again on Speed 4 for 1 minute.

Add flours, bicarb soda and cocoa powder to the butter mixture and beat on Speed 6 for 1 minute.

Add Choc Chips and mix on Speed 4, Reverse for 40 seconds.

Place large spoonfools of mixture on teh baking trays and bake for 8-10 minutes or until "golden brown" - being brown this is a bit difficult to judge so go with a nice crust evenly over the biscuits.
Leave on the trays for 5 munites and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

These are the best fresh but are still nice a few days later, a little crumbly but fantastic still!

You could also use white chocolate chips, some craisons etc to vary this recipe a bit.

Hope you enjoy this and I hope to post some more recipes soon.

Happy Thermomixing xoxo

P.S. Using the Bimby Chocolate Cake Recipe that I have on here (actually just realised its not posted on the blog, so will add soon) and on the forum (look for Bimby Chocolate Cake), I substituted the flour for GF flour to make DD's 4th Birthday cake....

Sweet Misery - A Poisoned World

This is a must see! Even just to learn a little more about what we consume.

Sweet Misery - A Poisoned World

Hi - Just a quick note to say sorry for not updating this for a while now. My laptop broke down and it took nearly a month to get a quote. So now as I'm sorting out files etc on a new PC, I do plan to post something for you soon, I haven't forgotten about this I promise.
Hope everyone had a great Christmas and all the best for the New Year!