Gluten-Free and Gum-Free Quick Bread

Makes one standard loaf

This is a reliable master recipe for moist, delicious, and undetectably gluten-free and gum-free quick bread. Choose your own combination of flavors from the options below, or choose from any odds and ends in your pantry or refrigerator. My favorites are banana walnut bread with ghee, pumpkin pepita bread with coconut oil, and sunflower zucchini bread with butter. Experiment with different types of fruit vegetables such as grated raw carrots, pureed cooked sweet potatoes, pureed fresh (or drained canned) peaches, or pear sauce. You can also easily substitute another type of summer squash (like crooked neck or patty pan) for the grated zucchini or another winter squash variety (like butternut or kabocha) for the pumpkin puree.

1 ½  cups Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour Mix or gluten-free all-purpose flour mix of choice

½ cup whole cane, date, or palm sugar

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon finely ground unrefined sea salt

¼ teaspoon acerola cherry powder or vitamin c powder

¼ teaspoon ground allspice

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 cup applesauce, mashed bananas, pumpkin puree, or grated zucchini (fresh or frozen)

½ cup extra-virgin coconut oil, butter, or ghee, or a mixture, melted, plus more for oiling the pan

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon chia seeds, soaked in 2 tablespoons boiling water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup crispy seeds or nuts, or raisins, optional

Center the oven rack. Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Generously oil a standard (4 ½” x 8 ½ ” x 3”) loaf pan.

Position a sifter over a large mixing bowl. Sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, cherry powder, allspice, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add the grated/pureed fruit or vegetable (applesauce, bananas, zucchini, or pumpkin), melted coconut oil (or butter or ghee), eggs, soaked chia seeds, and vanilla extract. Use a wooden spoon or the paddle attachment on low to mix until evenly combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl at least once during mixing. Add the optional seeds, nuts, or raisins

Pour the batter into the oiled pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50-55 minutes.

Let the bread to cool for 5 minutes before using a butter knife to loosen the edges. Gently remove the baked bread. Place it on a rack to cool entirely before slicing. Store any leftover quick bread tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to one week.

This was shared at Monday Mania, Fat Tuesday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, and Real Food Wednesday!