Gluten-free banana bread.

I want to introduce you to a "go-to" gluten-free recipe that is delicious every single time. (I can't say that about many other gluten-free baking recipes.)

This banana bread is not only gluten-free, but dairy-free (therefore vegan) and sugar-free and honestly, you can't tell that it's missing anything at all.

It's from the Babycakes cookbook which I cannot recommend more highly for gluten-free baking. This cookbook has singlehandedly given me hope that I can still bake yummy things even though I can't eat gluten!

It does call for a few ingredients you may not have heard of, but I'll explain those at the end.

Ingredients:

2 cups Bob's Red Mill gluten-free, all-purpose baking flour*

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon xanthan gum (not needed if you're using regular all-purpose flour)

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup melted coconut oil, plus more for the pan**

2/3 cup agave nectar***

2/3 cup rice or almond milk (we use almond milk for everything)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups mashed bananas

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly grease a 7 x 4 x 3-inch loaf pan with oil.

• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, salt, and cinnamon. Add 1/2 cup oil and the agave nectar, milk, and vanilla to the dry ingredients. Stir until the batter is smooth. Using a plastic spatula, gently fold in the bananas until they are evenly distributed throughout the batter.

• Fill the prepared pan halfway with batter. Bake banana bread on the center rack for 35 minutes, rotating the pan 180 degrees after 20 minutes. The finished loaf will bounce back slightly when pressed, and a toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean.

• Let the banana bread stand in the pan for 20 minutes before inverting it onto a plate.

*A note about Bob's Red Mill gluten-free, all-purpose baking flour: I love this stuff. I actually buy it in bulk on Amazon.com to save money, and I use it all the time. It really saves time, money, and energy versus making my own flour blend.

**About coconut oil: I also buy this in bulk, from Mountain Rose Herbs. Coconut oil has quite a few proven health benefits (just search "coconut oil" in Google and you'll find plenty) and it is so versatile. I use it in my homemade deodorant and sometimes for moisturizer. I also replace other oils (i.e. canola or olive oil) in baking recipes because it is organic and healthier. (And no, all your food won't come out tasting like coconut, I promise!) You can also add it to smoothies. Lastly, I use it to sauté vegetables or chicken (or I use grapeseed oil) because olive oil shouldn't be used at high temperatures. When olive oil is heated above 260°F, it will cause the oil to transition into a trans fat. It's better to use olive oil in salad dressings or to dip bread, but not to heat.

***About agave nectar: This is a somewhat recent find for us, and we buy it in bulk from Costco. It is a low-glycemic sweetener, meaning that it does not spike your blood sugar like normal sugar does. We love to drizzle it on oatmeal, strawberries, use it in tea and coffee, and in a few recipes that call for it. It is even sweeter than sugar, so less is needed.