Chipmunk Cheeks

Well, I'm not doing very well at keeping my other resolution of working out and eating like a super-health freak.  It is January 12, we have already broken down and had some DQ (at my begging after the Hulk acted like, well...the Hulk, little Transformer decided not to eat and I just had "one of those days".  Mr. Yeti was not too hard to convince, so I know he was right there with me).  Halleluyer for ice cream is all I can say.  Ice cream really does just make things feel better...until five minutes after you eat it when you feel remorse.   :)

I think that tackling GF living/cooking/baking right at the beginning of the year is a challenge because not only are you learning a whole new way of living, but also fighting that whole "I'm going to be fit and awesome!  Let's go rockin' bod!!" mindset.  So, I've baked.  A lot.  Cookies. Brownies.  Banana Bread.  And I have hardly worked out.  Baking - Winning.  Fit and Awesome - LOSING.  But man, I have to say I am rocking the baking thing.  Seriously, all those people who think that GF baked goods are terrible must not be able to cook or are choosing the wrong things to bake.  Either that, or I am doing something terribly wrong that tastes amazing.  Whatevs...   My belly says yum.  

Today was Banana Bread.  I had these three really awful looking bananas that needed to be dealt with.  I have an issue throwing anything away now after watching this documentary.  So, I baked.  Again.

I used this recipe from Taste of Home as the base recipe, but tweaked it because I can't leave well enough alone.  I halved it because I only had three bananas, and added some different flours, spices, etc.  I hope you like it as much as I have - meaning, I hope you stuff your face with it like me.  (Please, don't make me feel like the only loser doing this THIS early into 2012....)

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

1 1/2 C gluten-free all purpose flour
1/2 C sweet white sorghum flour
4 T ground flaxseed meal
1 tsp. xanthan gum
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt (I use kosher)
cinnamon and nutmeg (I didn't measure...just a shake...more cinnamon than nutmeg.)
2 C mashed ripe bananas (4-6)
4 eggs
1 C granulated sugar
1/2 C unsweetened applesauce
1/3 C oil
2 tsp. vanilla
a handful or two of chocolate chips...I didn't measure..just did what looked good.

Preheat oven to 350.

In a medium sized bowl, whisk/sift together flours, flaxseed, xanthan gum, baking soda, salt and spices.

In a separate, larger bowl, mix together the mashed bananas, eggs, sugar, applesauce, oil, and vanilla.  Add the dry mixture into the wet mixture and stir until well combined.  Stir in your chocolate chips.

Divide into two loaf pans sprayed with cooking spray.  Bake for 45-55 minutes.  Cool on a cooling rack for at least 10 minutes before turning out of the pans to cool completely.

Cut yourself a slice while it is still warm and enjoy the melty, chocolatey goodness.  Oh yum.  I've never made chocolate chip banana bread before, and I don't know that I can ever go back.  Oh baby, oh baby.  I know this isn't a healthy recipe by any means.  But...well.  Oh well.  Melty chocolate chips?  Don't mind if I do...

Okee dokee....
talk soon  :)  go bake.

xo