Gluten-free and good for you
Once again the LH has flown off on business. I have been assured that six flights in three days is Not Very Glamorous. However, I am pretty sure that six flights in three days also provides six opportunities to have a glass of wine and put your feet up. Fortunately, I have Naughty Nana here to lend a helping hand… or at least to provide some entertainment. On day one, despite being completely sober, Nana fell over a bush backwards and sat on her ice cream cone. After making sure there were no life-threatening injuries, I confess I collapsed into major hysterics.Apparently the bush incident occurred as a result of an over-enthusiastic mock-stagger response to Chloe's announcement that she ate all her dinner. Whilst producing a completely clean plate is something of a miracle, I suspect the whole drama may have been staged as a convenient way to dispose of the ice cream cone. I know that people don't normally throw away ice cream, but this was a dairy-free ice cream in a gluten-free cone. I am not sure Nana was all that impressed!Allergy-friendly foods have come a long way in the last ten years. I still remember how excited I was to try my first loaf of gluten-free bread and how crushed I was when it turned to sawdust in my mouth. Yet recently, brands like Genius and Rudi's Gluten Free Bakery, have managed to bring genuinely tasty alternatives to the table. And personally, I think Turtle Mountain has completely revolutionised the world of dairy-free ice cream.Having said that, if you're used to Ben & Jerry's in a crispy waffle cone, the allergy-free version may not cut it. You also need to be careful that you don't view something as healthy, just because it's dairy or gluten-free. Unfortunately, allergy-free versions are often highly processed and nutrient poor. This doesn't matter so much if you are having a one-off treat, but if it's something you eat all the time, like bread, then take a closer look at the ingredients. It's not uncommon to see refined grains, sugars and hydrogenated fats at the top of the list.Still, although the focus of the allergy-friendly food industry used to be solely on taste, many companies are now upping the ante on the nutrition side. Some gluten-free breads are now fortified with the nutrients you would commonly find in a regular wholegrain option. Also, companies such as Hail Merry (Miles) offer gluten-free and dairy-free products that are whole, vegan and raw. It doesn't get much more saintly than that. The price might send you reeling though — which is why I am also a big fan of making my own.I have experimented with a lot of gluten-free, dairy-free recipes over the years. I have had my fair share of disasters, but also one or two little miracles. This banana bread is one of them. It's super tasty and very moist — a rare find in gluten-free baking. It's also based on whole, healthy ingredients so you can enjoy this relatively guilt-free.
Ingredients:¾ c brown rice flour6 tbs millet flour¾ tsp baking powder¾ tsp baking soda½ tsp salt½ c brown sugar or sucanet (packed)2 oranges, zest of1 c mashed, very ripe bananas2 large eggs¼ c canola or melted coconut oil¼ c dairy-free “buttermilk” (see step 3)¾ c walnuts, choppedNon-stick cooking spray
Directions:1. Preheat the oven to 350F.2. Coat an 8 ½ x 4 ½ loaf pan with cooking spray. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and spray again. Dust entire pan with a little extra brown rice flour and tap out the excess.3. Make the dairy-free “buttermilk”. Add ½ tsp lemon juice or apple cider vinegar to a measuring jug and top up with any milk alternative (soy, oat, almond etc) to the quarter cup mark. Set to one side (let it stand for at least ten minutes before using.)4. In a small bowl, mix together the brown rice flour, millet flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.5. In a bigger bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, orange zest and banana. Add the eggs one at a time. Whisk. Then slowly whisk in the oil.6. Now add the flour mixture and the buttermilk to the batter and whisk in gently.7. Stir in the walnuts.8. Pour the batter in to the pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes until very firm — especially in the centre.9. Cool for 15 minutes and then turn out onto a wire rack, loosening the edges with a spatula.10. As best, with all gluten-free options, cool completely before cutting.
The advice given in this article is not intended to replace medical advice, but to complement it. Always consult your GP if you have any health concerns. Catherine Burns BA Hons, Dip ION is the managing director of Natural Ltd and a fully qualified nutritional therapist trained by the Institute for Optimum Nutrition in the UK. Please note that she is not a registered dietitian. For details, visit www.natural.bm or call 236-7511.
