Need a Substitution for Almond Flour?

Along with many other food sensitivities including gluten, I have a problem with almonds.  That makes it really difficult to bake because a lot of gluten free recipes substitute almond flour/meal for regular flour.  I’ve tried coconut flour and simply replacing the almond flour with gluten free flour but it changes the texture of whatever I’m making which is really frustrating!  One day I was searching for another option and I ran across a website that suggested sunflower meal.  Well, I decided to give it a try and it is fantastic!  You simply buy raw sunflower seeds, place them in a coffee grinder or food processor and grind the seeds into a flour.  You replace the almond flour with the sesame seed flour in a 1:1 ratio.  It results in that same nutty flavor that is so good when you use almond flour.  Give it a try sometime!  Here is a recipe to try out the substitution that my kids love (especially when I add chocolate chips into the bread).

Banana Bread (Vegan and Gluten Free)

By Riley Shaia

Ingredients

Wet Ingredients:

3 medium, ripe bananas (about 1 cup)

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/4 maple or date syrup

1 flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water whisked together and set aside for 15 minutes)

1 tsp vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups gluten free oat flour

3/4 cup sunflower seed or almond flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

Add-ins:

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup chocolate chips

Instructions

1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and place parchment paper in the bottom and sides of the bread pan.

2) Peel the bananas and add to a large mixing bowl. Mash until smooth.

3) Add applesauce, date or maple syrup, flax egg and vanilla. Whisk until well incorporated.

4) Add oat flour, sunflower or almond flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk together until no flour patches remain.

5) Fold in the add-ins and pour into prepared pan.

6) Bake 60-70 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

7) Allow to cool on a rack for 2 hours. Lift out of pan and serve.