The Best Vegan and Gluten-Free Coconut Banana Bread

I am someone who has had to try many different strategies to address my various gut and hormonal health with restrictive diets that made me feel stressed. This included trying to cut out sugar completely, however for me personally this does not work. l recognize the significance of incorporating delicious and healthy snacks into our daily routines, as they play a vital role in maintaining both physical well-being and mental satisfaction.

Far too often, the concept of "healthy eating" reminds us of images of people on strict diets and deprivation, leading many to view snacks as indulgences to be avoided, with the ensuing guilt once we “break” from our goals. However, by reframing our perspective and focusing on nourishing ourselves with wholesome yet flavorful and balanced options, we can cultivate a positive relationship with food, even desserts. The main focus when I create dessert recipes is to keep our blood sugar in balance which also ensures that our hormones stay balanced because our insulin is directly related to our hormones. Recipes like this AMAZING coconut banana bread not only provide essential nutrients to fuel our bodies but also serve as treats that we can enjoy without guilt or restriction. By prioritizing healthy snacks that both satisfy our taste buds and support our overall health, we shift the focus from deprivation to empowerment, making it easier to maintain balanced eating habits in the long run. In addition, I choose my ingredients carefully so that then you can actually help balance your hormones, incorporate healthy proteins and fats, as well as vitamins such as magnesium (from the Dark Chocolate) and antioxidants and omega-3s (from the nuts). Try it out and tell me what you think!

Ingredients:

• 80g coconut flour

• 120g almond flour

• 40g coconut sugar

• 2 ripe bananas, mashed

• 1 cup almond milk (or any plant-based milk of your choice)

• 12 walnuts, chopped

• 80g of 85-90% Dark Vegan Chocolate, chopped

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a loaf pan or line it with parchment paper for easy removal.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the coconut flour, almond flour, and coconut sugar. Mix until well combined.

3. Add the mashed bananas and almond milk to the dry ingredients. Stir until you have a smooth batter.

4. Gently fold in the chopped walnuts and dark vegan chocolate chunks until evenly distributed throughout the batter.

5. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, spreading it out evenly.

6. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the top looks like its starting to brown, or when an inserted into the center comes out clean.

7. Once baked, remove the banana vegan bread from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes.

8. Carefully transfer the bread to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving.

9. Try them on their own or with some coconut yogurt for breakfast!

My mission is to truly build great relationships with our food habits and routines, making eating healthy and healthy desserts an easy part of anyone’s life. To me, these desserts take little to no time to throw together and are usually thanks to a few bananas getting old in the fruit basket. Tell me you don’t feel great eating these!