Gluten Free Banana Bars

Got a few ripe bananas to use to up?  Have some bananas stashed away in the freezer?  Here's a great gluten free recipe for a little treat!  These can be made dairy free too, with a few substitutions.  We've been eating mostly dairy free around here as it causes one of my kiddos' eczema to flair up.

Banana Bars (with cream cheese frosting)
1/2 c butter, softened (I used coconut oil and didn't quite use 1/2c)
3/4 c sugar (I used a little less, between 1/2 and 2/3c)
2 eggs
1 c sour cream (I used plain almond milk yogurt and put in between 1/2 and 3/4c)
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour (I used 1c almond flour and 1c brown rice flour)
1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt
2-3 well-mashed bananas
(I also added about 1/3c flax meal)

Cream together butter and sugar
Add eggs, sour cream and vanilla
Combine all remaining dry ingredients and gradually add to creamed mixture
Stir in bananas
Spread into greased pan for desired thickness (could use 9x13, 10x15, etc.)
Bake at 350 for 20-25 min, or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean
Let cool completely if going to frost

(I just sprinkled with a few mini chocolate chips before baking)

Frosting:
1 pkg cream cheese, softened
1/2 c butter, softened
2 tsp vanilla
About 4 c powdered sugar

Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla in large bowl
Gradually beat in enough powdered sugar to achieve desired consistency
Frost bars and store in the fridge

(Gluten Free) Dutch Apple Pancake

Since I have to eat gluten free, I cook gluten free for the whole family....except for those times when Brandon has some peanut butter toast or something, then I don't subject him to the gluten free bread, because, let's face it, gluten free bread isn't all that tasty.

Anyhow, I thought maybe I would post some of my favorite recipes for any of you who might interested....Tonight's recipe is for Dutch Apple Pancake.  This is something my kids LOVE!  We eat it for Breakfast, Lunch, and Supper!  I've even been known to serve leftovers as a snack (if there are any leftovers that is!)

Oven-Baked Dutch Apple Pancake
(I adapted this recipe to be gluten free, so it can easily be made using whatever flour you desire)

2 apples, cored and sliced (I leave the peel on and just slice, I don't dice)
1-2 tbsp butter (I use coconut oil)
1 tsp cinnamon
Sprinkle of sugar

3 eggs
1/2 c milk (I use almond milk)
1/2 cup brown rice flour or almond flour
1 tbsp sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 c flax meal
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 350

Warm a cast iron skillet on medium heat and add the coconut oil, swirl the pan to make sure the bottom is covered with the oil.  Arrange the apples in a circular pattern in the pan, covering the entire bottom of the pan with the slices.  Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.

In a medium bowl, whisk eggs until frothy.  Add the remaining wet ingredients.  Add all the dry ingredients and stir until just mixed

Pour pancake batter over apples sizzling in the cast iron and put the cast iron in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.



I'm telling you, these don't even need any syrup or powdered sugar, they are good enough to eat by themselves! 

Let me know if you try it and what you think!  :)
I will work on getting a picture to add to this post!

Random

Thoughts in my head today...

-My kids love when we have company....usually because I try to make a snack or treat to have on hand.  And when company leaves, that means they get to munch on the leftover goodies.  This week we've had some friends and family over and Lawson's favorite new word is cookie!  Now, we don't actually have any cookies...but he calls muffins, banana bread, brownies, bars, etc. "cookies"  Any mention of eating/food and Lawson runs to his chair and asks for "more cookie" please!

-Yesterday we went to the park because it was such a beautiful day.  I threw the kids in the bike trailer and rode (downhill all the way) to our neighborhood park.  I'm really out of shape, so the ride there was a Breeze!  Well after being there for a short time, Lawson was climbing on the equipment, missed a step and ended up hitting his head.  I ran up to him as quickly as I could, but it was too late.  He started crying, never took a breath in, and passed out.  Now, this isn't the first time this has happened, but it doesn't make it any easier when it does happen.  He came to and I told Lillia that we were going to head home.  Nothing like your kid passing out at the park to get your out-of-shape self to work it UP HILL ALL the way home.  As we made it to the house I thought I would pass out!

-Today I took the kids to the store as it's the first day of the new month, which means the grocery budget starts over and we can replenish what we've been out of for the past week!  ;)  (anybody else know what that's like?!)  So, we get to the checkout and all our items are in the reusable bags that I remembered to bring in this time, and I go to pay.  But guess what?  The thing I didn't remember to bring in this time was my wallet.  (I would rather remember to take my wallet than my bags!)  And it wasn't just in the car because it had fallen out.  No, it was at home because I had forgotten to put it back in my purse after cleaning it out earlier in the day.  So I loaded up the kids in the van, ran home and got the wallets, loaded the kids into the cart, went in and paid for my items, and loaded the kids back in the van, this time with the groceries.  And after all that, it was clearly not time to go home and make supper....it was time to go to Jason's Deli, where kids eat for 99cents on Wednesday nights!

-Lawson is 16 months old today.  WHAT?  And he can give a 16 year old a run for their money when it comes to how much he can eat.

-Lillia is planning on having ice cream at her next birthday party.  She also wants to buy a new hat for her birthday.  She decided these things while shopping the isles at Target.  I'm glad she asks for them for her birthday and doesn't ask me to buy her things NOW, every time we go to the store. 

Catching Up!

Found the following posts sitting in the drafts.........

Has it really been a month since I last posted?!

Since I was last in blog world we celebrated Easter with a trip to Omaha/Grand Island to see family.  We had a great time and REALLY enjoyed some beautiful weather!  :)

Then it was back to life as we know it here in Kansas.

Lawson turned 15 months old and Lillia is officially 3 1/2!  We've had house guests here and there and I got to travel to Ames for a good friend's baby shower (sans little ones, thanks B!)

We haven't got too much to report....pretty status-quo! 

Coming up we get to host my mom and grandma for a weekend, celebrate a friend's 30th birthday, and anticipate getting THE phone call that my friend is in labor (as I will be hopping in the car to go be her doula!)

Pictures aren't loading well, so those will have to wait.