Frankly, developing this recipe took a lot of work. My goal was to recreate one of my husband’s favorite taste memories and not my own. He has vivid memories of a moist banana bread sweet with plenty of nuts and bananas, which was sold at the health food store he worked at during college. Twice a week, the bakers would arrive early with cases of the bread still warm. He would always set aside a loaf, because they would sell out fast. That was before he was diagnosed, of course.

“Next time, make it a little moister (or sweeter or buttery…)” he would say to me. Finally, after numerous trials, he said, “That’s it!” So, in addition to this gluten free banana bread, I am afraid that I have created a foodie!

It’s so good to be back. I’ve missed you.

Homemade Banana Nut Bread

Ingredients:

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Grease and flour two 9×5 inch loaf pans or grease one bundt pan.
3. Measure the flour, flax seed, xanthan gum, salt, baking soda, baking powder, spice, and nuts into a large bowl.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs and slowly add vegetable oil or melted butter to emulsify.
5. To wet ingredients, add sugars and vanilla and beat until smooth.
6. Add mashed bananas to wet ingredients and stir to combine.
7. Add dry ingredients gradually into wet ingredients and stir until just blended.
8. Divide the batter evenly between the two loaf pans or into 1 bundt pan.
9. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until a knife inserted into the crown of the loaf comes out with barely moist crumbs or until internal temperature reaches 210F (99C).
10. Let the loaves cool in the pan(s) for at least 15 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack, and cool completely.

Jean Ann’s GF Multigrain Flour Blend

Mix well and store in refridgerator or freezer.

This cookie bar is tender, lightly sweet, and crumbly in the best possible way. I must also remind you of the very best way to cut bar cookies and brownies: use a plastic knife! (By plastic knife I mean the disposable kind that come with your to go order.) It gives clean, precise cuts without the old issues of clinging crumbs and ragged edges. To add even more interest to these bars you can consider additions such as toffee bits or mini chocolate chips or go the other direction and eliminate the nuts for a minimal effect.

I am raising my teacup to you. May you find a bit of peace and rest in the midst of the busyness and stress of everyday living. May your spring come softly.

Gluten Free Shortbread Bars

1.  Preheat oven to 350° F (176°C) or 325°F (162°C) for convection ovens. Lightly grease/spray an 8 inch (20 cm) square baking pan.
2. Combine the flour, nuts, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
3. In another medium bowl cream the vegetable shortening with the sugar. Beat in the egg and the vanilla extract. Gradually add the dry ingredients and mix.
4. Spread the dough evenly in the prepared baking pan with a rubber spatula.
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cut into bars (using a plastic knife) and cool in the pan on a wire rack.

I took it in stride to the gluten-free (GF) grocery aisle, only to be disappointed by the gluten-free breads, cakes, and cookies that were brittle as clay and tasted as good.

(That was then. Now, fortunately, there are more GF prepared foods and mixes that have passed this Test Kitchen’s strict standards for quality and excellent taste.)

Having  been a cook and a student of food science all my life, I researched the well known GF cookbooks and began experimenting with the standard ingredients: rice flour, tapioca flour, potato starch, xanthum gum, etc. I produced one dense and crumbly disappointment after another. Cooking, and especially baking, wheat free was not so easy, I quickly discovered.

Starting with a clean slate, one simple question, and the belief that there is no reason why cooking GF means you have to settle for anything less than The Best Food You Have Tasted In Your Life! I have, over time, I learned the art of GF cookery. It’s an art you can learn, too. The rules are different, which results in different ingredients and processes.

Here you will find good, bullet-proof  recipes and product reviews that will make your journey an easier one. The recipes and products on this site have all been tested thoroughly and pronounced delicious by non-gluten and gluten-eaters alike.

Along the way, I learned that gluten free is no longer a life sentence but a willful choice ordinary people like me are making for better health. People who have suffered from headaches, chronic fatigue, digestive problems, and mysterious maladies are giving Gluten Freedom a shot.

So, take up my challenge. Pick out any recipe, and serve it to the people you love. They will moan with pleasure.

And the question?

“Darling, what would you most like to eat that you haven’t had in the past 12 years?”

~Jean Ann