Gluten Free Coconut Banana Bread with Walnuts

This post goes out to all of you that vowed to eat better and exercise more in the new year. We’re a few weeks into 2014 and I hope you’re going strong. Resolutions are sooooo tough. It’s too easy to make a big commitment at the beginning of the year and go all in only to fall off shortly after. I’m here to tell you to keep after it. Rome wasn’t built in a day (thanks, dad) and if you have a day that you slack off, it’s ok. Own it and start back at it tomorrow.

I’m the queen of saying I’m going to do something for so many days- 30 seems to be my number- and holding strong until about day 10 and then start to slack off. I get bored easily, what can I say. I used to beat myself up about it but that got me no where. I’m learning to let it be. When I embarked on my 30 day sugar detox last spring, it was the first time I’ve ever actually followed anything through for that long. Other than raising my kids but that’s sort of a given- can’t send them back.

Fast forward only a few months when I embarked on my 30 days of exercise and 30 days of green smoothies last fall. I did them both. Mostly. It might have taken me 40 or so days to actually get my 30 days in but whatever. I right the rules to my life. Somedays I just wasn’t feeling it. And instead of giving up completely, I just looked at it as taking a day off and I started back up the next day. The beauty of being an adult is you can do whatever you want. Be kind when you hit a bump. And get after it tomorrow. Hang in there and keep moving forward.

Case in point: for years I’ve been talking about starting a yoga practice. And for just as many years, I’ve come up with a million and one excuses why it doesn’t work for me. (Reason #1 is the guy next to me in the too tight pants breathing way too heavily through his mouth. That doesn’t freak me out a bit. #NOT) But really, I like my workouts to go fast, I want to sweat hard, get my heart rate pounding and have someone pushing me all the way through. For me yoga is the exact opposite of that- it’s a place where you have to quiet your mind, you can’t talk (so hard for me) and you have to push yourself. BUT there is this little voice in the back of my head telling me yoga would be good for me. I should do it because it’s all the things I don’t like to do and it will make me more calm, more balanced, sleep better, more flexible…. yada, yada, yada.

So last week I decided to jump on the “NEW IN 2014” bandwagon and take a yoga class. I signed up for a week membership at a hot yoga studio not far from my house. Every misconception I had about yoga was thrown at the window after participating in a handful of classes. First off, the class is tough. Like I couldn’t lift my arms for a day kind of tough. I’m dripping sweat every time I leave and there is nothing slow about it. The hour goes by quickly (albeit painfully) and in one class we listened to classic rock- hell to the yes. The instructors are laid back and though I don’t think a full on conversation would fly in class, I chatted with my husband and no one kicked me out. So here I am, loving the first week and so badly want to tell you that I’m going to do 30 days of yoga, or join for a year and go every MWF. But I’ve learned my lesson and I’m not going to do that. Instead, I’m going to see how it goes. Simple as that. I’ll do a few classes a week for a while and we’ll see where it takes me. No pressure and no resolution.

Be kind and do your thing– take that into 2014. Whatever your jam is going to be this year, make it yours. Above all, be kind to yourself.

Have a great weekend, everyone! Enjoy the quick bread recipe. Made with gluten free flour and coconut oil, the banana bread is studded with flakes of coconut and toasted walnuts. My favorite way to eat ANY bread is slathered with cold, salted butter. Balance, people, balance.

Gluten Free Coconut Banana Bread with Walnuts

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Ingredients

• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 coconut sugar or other natural cane sugar
• 1 cup very ripe mashed bananas
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 & 3/4 cups Pamela’s Baking & Pancake Mix (or other SELF RAISING gluten free flour blend)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 cup toasted walnut pieces
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut (I use unsweetened)

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, combine gluten free baking mix or flour, salt, and cinnamon; set aside.
3. In a large bowl, beat together oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Stir in mashed bananas until well blended.
4. Stir in flour mixture just until combined. Fold in walnuts and shredded coconut.
5. Pour into a greased 8-inch loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes, or when inserted toothpick comes out clean.
6. Remove from oven and let cool on a baking rack for 10 minutes before removing from pan and letting cool completely.