Add some fresh spring flavors to your banana bread with this Gluten Free Honey Orange Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips. Dessert for breakfast anyone???
I have always admitted to the fact that it’s a good thing I have never drank or experimented with drugs because quite frankly I would be a straight up addict. I know for a fact that I could never be a one and done kind of gal. My addictive personality coupled with my need for feeling in control makes the idea of doing drugs very unappealing.
Didn’t know that today’s post was a stay away from drugs campaign did you??? I’ll have to flag this post and have my girls read it in about 10 years…or is that too late? When do kids start doing drugs nowadays?
HOLY CRAP!!! I am NOT ready for this. I guess it comes sooner than you think.
Seriously, Braelyn is giving me foreshadowing nightmares lately. I caught a glimpse of her pulsating her skinny little hips while dancing to a song at a pool party this past weekend and thought, “What the hey?! Who taught her that move???!” Oh geez! We even had a little discussion a few months back about “modest dancing”. Guess that conversation stuck.
Then yesterday I come home from Emry’s gymnastics and Braelyn comes running out to greet me with a full blown set of luscious and shimmery metallic, pastel pink lips. She found the lipstick in my bathroom. Don’t worry, I don’t actually wear that color. It was given to me as a gift and my resourceful mind thought I should keep it for future dress up, Halloween, or some other random costume type party I may need pastel pink lipstick for. Yeah, those social engagements come around a dime a dozen, right?
And then she keeps talking about all the boys that she is in love with or that are in love with her. Apparently one boy refers to her as “babe”. So, you know, that’s cool and all. NOT!!!
Why is my little girl growing up so fast??? And how can I make sure that she will stay sweet and innocent forever and avoid all the very bad, horrible, impulsive, utterly stupid mistakes that teenagers are bound to make?
I guess set my expectations low so I’m sure to be proud of whatever my children make of themselves. In fact, if you are my husband, your main goal in life is to “keep our daughters off the stripper pole.”
So there you go. That is what we are aspiring to as parents these days. Thanks for the support babe.
But back to my addictive personality that I hope with all my being I do not, environmentally to Braelyn and genetically to Emry, pass down to my children. Growing up is hard enough without inheriting your mother’s crazy quirks. Am I right?
Since I morally refuse to be addicted to drugs and alcohol, I guess my addiction of choice is food. I get freakishly fixated on certain foods. I for reals ate half a plain turkey sandwich on white bread every single day of my four year high school career. Then I crashed and burned on the idea of lunch meat and it literally took me over 5 years to eat a cold sandwich again.
I eat cereal every single day for breakfast. The same cereal with sliced bananas. Every. Single. Day. And I love it. Even when I am making a nice breakfast for my peeps with the entire spread of pancakes, eggs, bacon, you name it…I will still eat my same bowl of cereal. It just seems to fill an emotional need.
I guess it’s the same kind of need when I look at a bunch of overly ripened bananas.
Yes, I could make smoothies, or “nice cream”, or cookies, or pancakes, or a whole slew of things. And sometimes I do. But, what really calls my name each time I see those spotted bananas is BANANA BREAD!!! That’s all I want to make. It’s the addict in me.
But when your addictive personality causes you to make Gluten Free Honey Orange Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips, there isn’t too much to complain about. Life could be a whole lot worse.
I know I have about a million…okay maybe like ten or so…banana bread recipes on my blog, but each one is unique and delicious. This version is no exception.
The bread is soft and moist and tender like every banana bread should be, but then it also has this hint of honey and orange that gives it a lightly sweet and refreshing taste. It’s not too citrusy that it tastes flowery, but just enough to give it that punch of freshness.
And if the honey and orange don’t make the banana bread tasty enough, I of course threw in a handful of chocolate chips. Orange and chocolate are meant to go together. Everybody knows that, and if you didn’t…well now you do. Haven’t you ever eaten one of those chocolate oranges at Christmas that you whack on the counter and get those perfect chocolate wedges??? Okay, maybe the chocolate isn’t the highest quality, but still: chocolate AND orange! They’re delicious.
If you like a little crunch to your banana bread, add a handful of macadamia nuts to the top of your batter before baking. You could also add some sweetened coconut flakes for extra crunch and flavor. That would give the bread a little tropical twist which might be kind of fun.
However you decide to dress up this banana bread, just know you won’t be left feeling disappointed. Just like me, you’re sure to get an emotional high after you eat this stuff. It’s just that darn good…and addictive.
What food are you addicted to?
- ½ cup melted coconut oil, cooled to touch
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup honey
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- zest from 1 orange (about 2 teaspoons)
- ½ teaspoon grated ginger
- ½ cup superfine white rice flour, plus more for coating pans
- ½ cup millet flour
- ½ cup potato starch
- ¼ cup coconut flour
- ¼ cup tapioca starch
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ cup sour cream or buttermilk
- ¼ cup fresh squeezed orange juice
- 1½ cups mashed bananas (about 3 medium)
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
- ⅓ cup chopped macadamia nuts
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and lightly flour (with white rice flour) 4 mini loaf pans. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, mash bananas until soupy. Set aside.
- In a larger mixing bowl or stand mixer, whisk together coconut oil, sugar, honey, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Add in orange zest and grated ginger and stir.
- In a smaller mixing bowl, sift together white rice flour. millet flour, potato starch, coconut flour, tapioca starch, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, xanthan gum, and baking powder.
- Add half of dry ingredients to wet and stir until incorporated. Pour in buttermilk and orange juice and stir until evenly mixed. Add remaining dry ingredients and stir until smooth. Add in mashed bananas and stir until well incorporated, scraping down sides as needed.
- Fold in ⅔ cup chocolate chips. Divide batter evenly between 4 mini loaf pans. Top with remaining chocolate chips and chopped macadamia nuts. Gently press down so toppings stick to the batter.
- Bake loaves at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until top springs back at touch of a finger and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. My loaves take closer to 40 minutes.
