Vegan & Gluten-Free Chocolate-Maca Banana Bread
About once a month (if you know, you know), I find myself desiring chocolate, carbohydrates, something sweet, and easy-to-make snacks I can enjoy between meals. The recipes I’m drawn to change from month to month - sometimes chocolate takes center stage, and other times it’s all about the carbs. It really just depends on what my body seems to need in that moment. This month, it was a return to chocolate chip banana bread, with both chocolate and carbs calling my name.
For this recipe, I decided to experiment a little by adding in Maca powder. Not only does Maca add a lovely nutty, earthy flavor, but it also offers a few health benefits. What started as an experiment turned into a recipe I wanted to share.
“Maca Root is a popular ingredient in many women’s health supplements for energy, hormonal function, and stamina. Also known as Peruvian Ginseng, Maca is considered an adaptogen, which is a type of plant or substance that helps support a healthy stress response through its actions on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis.
Its stress-relieving and hormone-supportive properties make it an ideal herb for the busy and transformative years of the twenties, thirties, and forties.
Some of the studied benefits of Maca include:
Promoting energy and stamina
Supporting normal reproductive function
Promoting normal stress response
Supporting hormonal function during the reproductive and menopausal years
Menstrual support
Promoting normal sexual function and desire
Maca has been traditionally enjoyed as a root vegetable. However, these days it’s mostly taken as a tincture, capsule, or powder.” - Gaia Herbs
Benefits of other ingredients used in this recipe:
Cinnamon’s warming qualities can be supportive for movement of energy throughout the body, helping to alleviate cramping and shorten the duration of pain associated with menstrual cramps. Coconut sugar is a good white sugar alternative as it is low-glycemic so it doesn’t spike the blood sugar quite as much, it contains trace amounts of vitamins and minerals and is less refined (which we all know is what we’re looking for). I like the texture that comes from blend of the almond flour and oat flour as well as the higher protein and fat content than gluten-free flour. Walnuts are a nice addition for good fats and texture, helping with brain health, omega-3’s and a really nice crunch that I always enjoy the addition of.
Men can also enjoy this recipe as well and reap the Maca benefits :)
Enjoy!
Here’s the recipe:
3 overripe bananas
½ cup coconut sugar
¼ cup olive or coconut oil
2 tbs ground flax in 5 tbs water (let rest for 5 minutes to bloom) & 1 tsp apple cider vinegar OR 2 eggs if you don’t need it to be vegan
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup almond flour
1 ½ cups oat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp vanilla
½ tsp salt
½ tsp cinnamon
½ cup chocolate chips - I like sugar-free Lily’s or Equal Exchange
½ cup walnuts
1 tbs maca powder
Baking Instructions
Preheat your oven to 375°F and line a loaf pan with parchment paper or lightly grease it with oil.
In a small bowl, combine the ground flax and water, then let it sit for 5 minutes to bloom. If you’re using eggs instead, set those aside for later.
In a large bowl, mash the bananas until mostly smooth. Stir in the coconut sugar, oil, vanilla, and apple cider vinegar if using. Add the flax mixture or eggs and mix well.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the almond flour, oat flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and maca powder.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips and walnuts.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
Bake for 50–60 minutes, or until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. If the top begins browning too quickly, loosely cover it with foil during the last 15–20 minutes.
Let the bread cool in the pan for 10–15 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely. This helps it set and makes slicing easier.
For the best texture, make sure your bananas are very ripe and mash them well before mixing. The bread will continue to firm up as it cools, so don’t worry if the center feels a little soft right out of the oven.
