Mme Arkadina's Gluten Free Banana Bread

Dear Mouse,

As you've pointed out, it's 2013. The year, I'm happy to say, has started with a bang - an influx of new newness: projects, insights, colleagues, experiences, and, of course, recipes.

I'm in my pajamas at 2PM, there is a sweet and nutty aroma coming from my oven, I'm somewhat lightheaded and optimistic from Day 1 of my now-monthly 'Juice til Dinner' 5-day cleanse, and I don't have to be anywhere til 9PM, when I will remove said pajamas and go sing 'Gold Dust Woman' at a Fleetwood Mac Tribute Night with these guys:

 "Mac Attack" to benefit spring music fest in Louisville KY

 (where I'll be blogging again late Feb - early April!)

It's a perfect winter Sunday afternoon.

Or, I guess, would be, were it colder outside. Or even cold. A friend of mine just tweeted that he saw a magnolia tree in full bloom on the Lower East Side. But why quibble? We are facing the End Times.  Let us focus on what we love. Let us fiddle while Rome burns. Let us eat cake.

Or this.

 Not your mama's banana bread. 

Unless your mama is gluten-free, then maybe it is.

Ok. Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Banana Bread. Or, to be more specific, the insanely, improbably, how-is-this-possible delicious, no butter, no sugar, no flour, I-dont-understand-but-I'll-bake-it-again chocolate chip banana bread recipe passed on to me by our mutual acquaintance and 'Downtown' Theatre Luminary Mme Arkadina (one more week to see Seagull FYI).

I freely admit my skepticism upon first hearing about it. Words like "cardboard" and "glue" came to mind, as did "crumbly" and "sad". But MmeA swore up and down that it was "amazing", and ever inclined towards treats both delicious and digestive-tract-friendly, I could not help but try it out.

I have now made it three times and tested it upon several people (though it occurs to me I don't know what YOU thought yet? but I've already started the post...) and feel confident in recommending. I mean, it's REALLY tasty and NOTHING in it is bad for you. Nutty from almond flour, moist from ripe bananas and a bit of coconut oil, sweetened (though not much) with agave syrup and vanilla, and flecked with semisweet chocolate chips, it is nothing short of a miracle. Eaten for breakfast, it will both delight you and keep you full, something that never happens to me when I eat baked goods.

A caveat: if you can't eat nuts, you can't eat this. Almond flour/meal is made from almonds. But if you can ...

The recipe came to me via Arkadina from this GF blog which looks intriguing. I'm going to post my version here below as I did make some tweaks and liked them.  Happy Baking!

Love,

The Boo

Mme Arkadina's Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

(based on "The Bomb" Banana Bread recipe at  NourishingFlourishing.com)

Ingredients

(makes 1 loaf)

2 ripe bananas

2 eggs

2 tbsp agave syrup

1 tbsp coconut oil  

1 tbsp vanilla

2.5 C almond meal (or almond flour, but I found I prefer the meal)

1 scant tbsp cinnamon

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 C chocolate chips.

Preheat oven to 325.

Spray loaf pan with baking spray, or line with parchment. 

Squeeze bananas right in their skins over a bowl, mashing them up and then just peeling away the peel.   Add all other wet ingredients (eggs, agave, coconut oil, and vanilla) to the bowl and mash/mix up thoroughly. Mix all the dry ingredients (almond meal, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, chips) and add to the wet. Mix thoroughly. Spoon into loaf pan and bake for exactly 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean (top will brown).  Let cool in pan. 

Sans Wheat, Sans Milk, Sans Soy, Sans Everything...

Dear Mouse,

Whew! A whirlwind week it has been in life and in diet. Many thanks for holding down the fort here at AMB while I spend my days studying Shakespeare (here) and evenings rehearsing this show that opens sunday... I am super exhausted at the moment so this will be short, and, like, probably not very witty. But I owe us all a bit of a report.

Ok. So yes, on the one hand, how could you post that thing about Sundaes and Cones?!! It sounds so delicious. (NOTE From the Mouse--they make all-fruit smoothies too!) On the other hand, I am in Week Two of Crazy Eating Restrictions and the biggest surprise of all is... No. Cravings.

Not really. Oh sure, at times I'm like, 'oh it would be SO easy to just get a sandwich right now for lunch... a muffin for breakfast... make this vegetable thing I like that has cheese in it..." BUT it's not like I really am feeling that deep down.

Mostly, my dairy/wheat/egg/gluten/sugar/soy-free lifestyle has had the effect of 1) giving me more energy than I thought would be possible while working this hard, 2) TOTALLY stabilizing my moods and my concentration, which is no small thing, and 3) completely controllling my appetite. I get hungry and eat regular meals, but I get, like, satisfied, by them, and not obsessive about where my next treat is coming from. Bad for the blog? maybe. But fascinating.

A big shout-out to Angelica Kitchen in the East Village, and to Cute AMB Fan/Friend o'Mouse who works there and who made my dining experience truly educational and a pleasure. CSFAMBF brought a whole BOOK to my table that listed EVERY ingredient in every dish on their menu, as well as a special page of gluten-free options. Everything was fabulous.

Because of the HEAT alluded to briefly :-) in your last note, I'll leave you with this recipe that I can eat!!! (ok it has some sugar... sigh) which is great for summer. Make these for someone and knock them back with a beer or a crisp white wine before dinner. Trust me. It is super easy and you will seem like an Earth Goddess.

Extremely Sexy Vodka Spiked Cherry Tomatoes w/Pepper Salt (from the Gourmet Cookbook) (I'm literally copying this, I feel so cheap).

I make about a third of the recipe for two people... but you can go to town.

3 pints red & yellow cherry tomatoes
1/2 C vodka
3 tbsp white vinegar (must be white!!)
1 tbsp superfine sugar (totally can use regular)
1 tsp grated lemon zest (I made it with lime and it works too)
3 tbsp kosher salt
1 1/2 tbsp black pepper

OK this part is a little effort, but it's where all the sexy is. Cut small X in bottom of each tomato. Then toss all of them for 3 seconds ONLY into boiling water, then get them out and immediately! put in bowl of ice to stop them cooking. Drain and then slip the little suckers right out of their skins - it's magical.

Stir vodka, vinegar, sugar, and zest in bowl til sugar dissolves. Pour it over tomatoes, toss to coat. Leave it in the fridge, covered, for at least a half hour.

Stir salt and pepepr together in cute little dish. Dip tomatoes in pepper salt with fingers or toothpicks. Eat. Smile. Suddenly the heat isn't that oppressive.

Love

The Boo
p.s. Yes i have cheated: a bit of ketchup with bunless burger, chinese food that had soy in it for sure, a bite of ice cream, an untold number of cocktails I may or may not be allowed to have. but come on, something gotta get me through this.

**Breaking News**: Crisis at the AMB, or, The Tale of the Allergist's Patient

Dear Mouse,

PART I - GRIEF

Oh. My. God.

It's been said that absence makes the Hart grow fonder, that all love must be tested or it cannot know its power, that faith without doubt is a dead faith, and other pronouncements as well. I have to believe in this. I have to believe that the little curve balls The Divine likes to throw our way just when we think we've got it made are His/Her way of saying They Love Us.

No, I am not talking about my personal life. Or, well, yes, I am!! because what could be more personal to a Hart than what she puts in her body. (I am leaving that sentence as-is. Don't even say it.)

I'll make this brief as it is almost too horrifying to be true.

I, the Boo, Food Blogger and devoted Patron of All Things Tasty, have recently been to the doctor. Ok,the Naturopath,for allergy/nutrition advice. VERY highly recommended, as you know, by two of our gorgeous friends, now healed from chronic conditions and glowing enviably. Similarly plagued, I decided to follow in their footsteps.

One consultation, a blood test, and a 'wellness plan' later,the results came back.

PART II - ADVENTURE/DETERMINATION

I am about to embark on a restricted diet the likes of which I have never attempted before. Usuallly, I have the staying power of a candle in the wind (I tried the "Master Cleanser" once for four hours and then had a sandwich) BUT this time,I am determined.

Here is where you,and the slowly-building AMB community, come in.

STARTING MONDAY,I will embark on the prescribed Elimination Diet below. I will post reports of my progress and creative new recipes as I go. Most importantly, I will be accountable to you all for sticking to it. I need your help and encouragement and bad jokes.

PART III: THE PLEDGE

I, The Boo, do solemnly vow to

Abstain from my Major Allergens for FOUR MONTHS. These are:
DAIRY (all forms!!!)
PEANUTS & ALMONDS
EGGS
SOY
WHEAT
GLUTEN

& SUGAR (only agave nectar or stevia. But I forget for how long on this one)

Abstain from the following for ONE WEEK to test, after which I will add each back in one at a time:
TOMATOES
CITRUS
POTATOES
EGGPLANT
PEPPERS
CORN
WINE

Saving graces: coffee ok. most alcohol ok. other nuts ok. olive oil ok. rice pasta ok.

Send your recipes,your thoughts, your encouragements, and remind me it's not forever. I'll let you know how it goes. For breakfast I had a baguette with brie cheese and tomato...a swan song, if you will.

Love,
The Boo