Grain-free Banana and Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

CALLING ALL GLUTEN FREE PEOPLE

Hello! This week I am sharing with you a 'grain-free' banana and chocolate chip cupcake recipe. You may be asking, why are you providing a 'grain-free' recipe? First off, this is a recipe which tastes great and to me that is the most important thing! The difference in this recipe is that it uses coconut flour rather than a grain flour! If you are new to the blog, I love experimenting with different foods and providing recipes which are suitable for many different dietary needs as well as providing a way to incorporate a variety of different foods into one's diets.

This is a recipe suitable for those who are gluten intolerant or on a low carbohydrate diet (for whatever medical reasons) - so whether that may be for you or for someone you know who would enjoy this recipe it can be suitable for all!

So what is coconut flour? Coconut flour is a soft flour made from dried coconut meat. After the coconut milk is squeezed out of the coconut meat, the meat is then fried and ground into a flour. This means it has a noticeable coconut flavour. Coconut flour can be used mainly in baking. It is a very dense flour, meaning that more protein and liquid is needed to use it in baking.

Coconut flour is naturally high in saturated fat (approx. 14g per 100g) - which are the 'good' types of fat and may provide some health benefits such as supporting healthy cholesterol and anti-inflammatory benefits, however more research is needed into this. Coconut flour is also very high in fibre (45g per 100g) and is a good source of protein (18g per 100g) [1].

It is important to remember that coconut flour is not any 'better' or 'healthier' than a grain based flour, but they both have an equal amount and different nutritional benefits and it is personal choice and dietary requirements which you feel is best for you, or whether you are like me and love to use new ingredients!

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Serves: 12. Preparation and Cooking Time: 1 hour

INGREDIENTS

• 2 bananas

• 1/3 cup coconut oil (melted)

• 1/4 cup maple syrup

• 1 tsp vanilla essence

• 3 eggs

• 1/4 cup milk of choice (I used oat or almond m*lk)

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1/2 cup coconut flour

• 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips (optional)

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 170C and prepare your cupcake tins with cupcake cases.

2. Mash bananas in a bowl with a fork then whisk with the melted coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla essence and eggs. Slowly whisk in the milk.

3. Next using a wooden spoon to stir, slowly add the add the cinnamon, baking powder, coconut flour.

4. Fold in the dark chocolate chips (if using) and then equally spoon (3/4 full in each cupcake case) into your cupcake cases. This mixture makes approx 12 cupcakes.

5. Bake for 30-35 minutes until they start to turn golden brown. And Enjoy!

Happy Baking!

Ruth xxx