365 Inspirations—286: Gluten-Free and Sugar-Free Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

“The only real stumbling block is fear of failure. In cooking you've got to have a what-the-hell attitude.” ― Julia Child

Tonight we had a reunion with friends who went on our Peru trip with us. My husband grilled Korean Kalbi ribs and we had a Korean feast.

Our friends are trying to live gluten-free and I am trying to too, so I cooked my famous gluten-free and sugar-free Banana Chocolate Chip Bread. It's actually entirely grain-free and it is so delicious. The best part is that it tastes so good, but it's also good for you.

I want to share the recipe here. It's perfect for guests coming over who can't eat gluten or for an alternative birthday cake for those with dietary restrictions. Here's the recipe and enjoy:

3 ripe bananas
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 tablespoons organic coconut oil
3 eggs
3 cups of almond flour (almond meal)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup of honey
1/2 cup sugar-free chocolate chips

Mash the bananas and mix in vanilla, eggs, honey and coconut oil. Mix the dry ingredients: almond flour and baking soda. Mix dry and wet ingredients thouroghly.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place bread in glass bread pan greased with coconut oil. Cook for 45 minutes-1hour. Cook 30 to 40 minutes on middle rack and move to top rack for remaining time. Keep your eye on the bread for the last 10-15 minutes. When it is brown on the top, remove it and let it cool before serving.

This bread is so moist and delicious, you'll want to serve it again and again!

Do you have a favorite gluten-free recipe you'd like to share?

365 Inspirations—35: French Food

"After one taste of French food ... I was hooked. I'd never eaten like that before, I didn't know such food existed. The wonderful attention paid to each detail of the meal was incredible to me..."—Julia Child

 Okay, I don't know much about France or French Food, but I feel this is a place I have to visit. Particularly Paris. My agent recently informed me that my book accompanied my foreign agent in London to Paris. She was headed there for a book event and planned to talk to some editors and publishing houses about selling the foreign rights of Lessons from the Monk I Married to France. Croatian and Complex Chinese foreign rights have already been sold, so I can expect to see my book in both Croatian and Chinese, but French would be nice to add to the mix.

So on Saturday, in honor of my book making it to France, my husband and I did something we normally don't do. We splurged and went out for a 3-course lunch at a phenomenal French restaurant located in the infamous Pike Place Market in Seattle. It was completely spontaneous. I actually had to break my Paleo diet rules for this one because there was no possible way I was not going to eat what they were serving.

The host said, "Bonjour Madame!" and lead my husband and I upstairs to a table with a view of Puget Sound and the ferry boats coming and going from the pier. It was so romantic. We both started with the French Onion Soup! Délicieux!

Then my husband had the beef cheek with potatoes and the tastiest gravy and green beans. It was cooked to perfection. I had the Penn Cove steamed mussels. Everything was so good!

Finally, they brought us out creme brulee and two cappaccinos for dessert and we stared out at the water in bliss.  The creme brulee was so delicious I wanted to lick the bowl. I hadn't had sweets for over a month and it felt good to treat myself. I know it was just a one-time spur-of-the-moment thing and I think it's good to be spontaneous sometimes.

All I could think about after our fantastic meal is that I need to go to France. Perhaps I will get an opportunity to go there on international book tour!

Have you ever had French food or been to France? Have you done anything spontaneous recently?