I dwell in an aversion to Valentine’s Day camp. Admitting this feels wrong and unromantic. My disdain isn’t really about the common complaint that love should be celebrated every day rather than just on one or by sending flowers, candy and cards. Without getting too dramatic, it’s more about the pressure to be happy when perhaps I’m not, feeling lonely and let down if I don’t have a valentine, and associated unpleasant memories. But even with these extremely negative thoughts, the idea still holds a tender place in my heart. The New York Times Cooking email that I receive almost daily recommends cooking at home for those you love this year rather than eating out and I love that. Baking inspiration flood social media feeds and websites I follow. Delicious looking chocolate raspberry or red velvet or hibiscus or rose flavored treats spread a kind of love that baking does like nothing else. What is not to love about that? Baking and my children make wonderful sweethearts.
I was working on my own valentine-ish creations but they still need help, so instead I pulled out an old notecard recipe copied from my mom for something I absolutely know will be delicious. I altered this banana bread a bit to make it gluten-free because my daughter likes to eat that way and added more spice to warm it up for extra love twist. There’s no red or pink, but there is chocolate inside and it will be filled with love and made with a warm heart.
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| Servings | Prep Time |
| 1loaf | 25minutes |
| Cook Time |
| 1hour |
|
|
- 1 cup (140g) white rice flour
- 1/4 cup (27.5g) coconut flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- 1/8 teaspoon cloves
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) organic unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup (100g) organic granulated sugar
- 2 organic eggs
- 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (4-5)
- 1/4 cup organic whole milk
- 1/2 cup gluten-free rolled oats
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips, semi-sweet
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare a 9x5x3 inch loaf pan by greasing with butter.
- In medium bowl, whisk together rice flour, coconut flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, allspice, cloves, and black pepper. Set aside.
- Place softened butter in bowl of electric mixer and with paddle attachment, cream for about 30 seconds. Add sugar and continue to beat until light and fluffy.
- Beat in eggs until well combined. Mixture will look chunky.
- Add dry ingredients in two additions, alternating with bananas and milk beating after each addition until just incorporated. First add 1/2 dry ingredients, then 1/2 milk, then 1/2 bananas, then repeat.
- Remove from electric mixer and stir in oats and chocolate chips with a wooden spoon.
- Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and smooth top. Bake for 1 hour until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Cool for at least 10 minutes in pan, then turn out onto wire rack and cool completely.
**Using organic ingredients whenever possible will make baked goods all the more nourishing. For this banana bread use organic flours, sugar, eggs, butter and milk if available.
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