Wheatless Wednesday: Product Review Breads from Anna

Recently my friend handed me a brown package saying, "Here. Take this. I was given it as a product sample, but haven't gotten around to preparing it. I'd love for you to make it."

Of course I was game as I love trying new products, and also enjoying writing reviews about those products. The product sample my friend handed me was a Breads from Anna Gluten and Yeast Free Banana Bread Mix.  

The directions are simple and only require three additional ingredients (four if you add the optional walnuts, or in my case, chocolate chips!): 3 ripe bananas, 1/3 C oil, 2 large eggs. Uhhhh... eggs. Well, yeah, I don't cook with eggs, so I was about to call deal breaker since I didn't want to test a product and do it injustice when I have to experiment with what would be a good egg replacer for this product. Then I noticed the back of the package says to visit the website www.breadsfromanna.com to make the banana bread egg free. I was stoked!

Upon further reading of the package ingredients, however, I noticed that the mixes are not truly vegan as they do contain crystallized honey. I went forward with the baking, but want to give a heads up to people who do follow a strict vegan diet; these products are sadly not for you.

I mashed up my bananas (I only needed 2 to make a cup, not 3) and added the packaged mix, along with 3/4 Cup almond milk and 3 teaspoons baking powder, as recommended to stand in for the eggs and mixed until well combined. I poured it into a greased and brown rice floured a loaf pan and baked for 1 hour. After letting it stand for another hour, as instructed in the package directions, I sliced up my loaf.

The loaf had collapsed a bit in the center during the baking, maybe because of the lack of egg, or maybe just because of the lack of gluten, but that was more an aesthetic thing.  I cut it with a serrated knife and it squished only slightly, and bounced right back.

My first impression was that the bread has a nice flavor and perfect sweetness. The texture is a bit spongy, which adds to it being very light. This is of great advantage as compared to most gluten free breads which are usually very dense.

The next morning I tried another slice from the loaf that I left on the counter for the night. After it settled and sat overnight, the texture of the flours was a little more grainy. I could taste the bean flours, which I didn't detect the day I baked it. It was interesting how much the texture and taste changed over night; it was still good, just different.

Overall, Breads From Anna makes a nice banana bread for people maintaining a gluten free lifestyle, and I would choose it over other gluten free packaged mixes for it's high quality ingredients.  I don't think I would choose it over a whole wheat option, however, to make for non-gluten free friends or clients. 

I do highly recommend checking out the Breads From Anna website, as it is a great companion tool. It offers recipe alternatives for the mixes and baking tips, as well as resources for gluten free living and information concerning Celiac disease.