Rob Watkins, an innovative second generation farmer from the Atherton Tablelands, is the architect behind Mt Uncle’s Green Banana Flour.
Made using green Australian lady finger bananas, this gluten free flour is naturally high in resistance starch and minerals. Banana flour has a mild, nutty taste and can be used as an alternative to other flours in most recipes.
Production of the banana flour took off when Rob moved development from his family’s 300-hectare property west of Cairns to a new pharmaceutical food-grade factory.
This 2010 Young Farmer of the Year is also the bright mind behind the award winning Banana Blankey—a polypropylene material carton insert for packing bananas—and a banana harvester that eliminates 80 per cent of the labour-intensive activities in bunch picking.
Entrepreneurs like Rob Watkins help Queensland’s regional economies to grow stronger and more diverse.
This week on the blog we are lucky to have Janine from @platemeup_paleo share her delicious Rosemary Paleo Bread. Thanks Janine and Enjoy!xo
INGREDIENTS
- 400g banana flour Natural Evolution – Banana Flour for baking
- 1tbsp Xanthum gum
- 3 large eggs
- 1½ tsp salt
- 50g macadamia oil
- 7g yeast (1 sachet)
- 65g rice malt syrup
- 500g warm water
- 1 egg white
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
- 3-5 sprigs of fresh rosemary
DIRECTIONS
- Place warm water, rice malt syrup and yeast into mixing bowl and heat 1min/37°/speed 1.
- Add the banana flour, Xanthum gum, eggs, salt, oil and rosemary leaves (reserve a few for the top) to the bowl and mix 6 sec/speed 6, then knead 2 min / closed lid position/wheat setting.
- Empty into greased bread tin. Poke the remaining rosemary leaves into the top. Set aside for over 1 hour to rise. It should double in size.*
- Paint the top with egg white and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
- Place in oven for 35-40 minutes at 180°C. Use a skewer to check if cooked.
A little about Janine ….
Janine – @platemeup_paleo I went Paleo a couple of years ago to help a faulty Thyroid. I didn’t want to deprive myself of all the foods I had previously loved, and so I began to cook absolutely everything I ate, finding Paleo alternatives for most things online. Bread was a hard one to find a Paleo version of. There’s lots of gluten free breads out there, but almost all of them have some type of grain flour in the ingredients. The few Paleo bread recipes I did find didn’t have the same consistency and texture as wheat bread and they tasted quite different too. So when I discovered banana flour, I was thrilled to discover that it not only tasted similar to bread, but the texture was much like ‘normal’ bread as well, better than all the gluten free breads I’d tried! – JanineThis is my absolute favourite brownie recipe evolved into a super delicious vegan alternative!! It can be so easy to get overwhelmed thinking about cooking egg free but really its pretty simple my go to substitute for egg is 2 ripe bananas, however there are many other ideas and solutions.
Ingredients
•125g coconut oil
•1/2 cup coconut sugar
•125g dark chocolate, chopped
•4 small to medium bananas (mashed well or puree will be easier for non TM users)
•1/3 cup Natural Evolution Ultimate Gluten Free Baking Flour Banana Flour for Baking
•35g (1/3 cup) cocoa powder
•1/2 tsp bi-carb soda
•150g (1 1/4 cup) hazelnuts roughly chopped (can be replaced with walnuts, macadamias of any other nut of your choice)
Method
1.Preheat oven to 160°C. Grease an 18 x 28cm cake tin or line the base of the pan with non-stick baking paper.
2. Place oil, sugar and chocolate in a large saucepan and stir over medium heat until well combined.
3. Remove from heat and beat in the mashed bananas using a wooden spoon.
4. Sift together Natural Evolution Banana Flour for Baking, cocoa and bi-carb soda into the chocolate mixture and stir until well combined. Stir in the hazelnuts.
5. Pour into the prepared tin and bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until firm and until a few crumbs cling to a skewer when it’s inserted into the centre.
Thermo-mixers Method
1. Preheat oven to 160°C. Grease an 18 x 28cm cake tin or line the base of the pan with non-stick baking paper.
2. Place oil, sugar and chocolate in TM bowl, combine on speed 8 for 30 seconds then set to 80C for 2 mins on speed 6.
3. Stop heat and beat in the eggs one at a time on speed 6.
4. Add Natural Evolution Banana Flour for Baking, cocoa and baking powder into the chocolate mixture mix on speed 8 for 30 seconds.
5. Add hazelnuts and backward mix on speed 4 for 30 seconds.
6. Pour into the prepared tin and bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until firm.
Mrs Natural Evolution xo
Cauliflower and Onion Bhaji perfect for lunch, dinner, snack or lunchbox! Enjoy simply on their own with a fresh garden salad as an appetiser or side dish.
Gluten Free
Grain Free
Nut Free
Sugar Free
Dairy Free
Vegetarian
Paleo
Ultimately delicious!
Ingredients
- ½ head of medium sized cauliflower, cut into tiny florets
- 2 large onions
- ¼ cup chopped coriander leaves
- 1 cup Natural Evolution Ultimate Gluten Free Baking Flour (Green Banana Flour for Baking)
- 1-tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 egg whisked
- 1-teaspoon turmeric
- 1-teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon of cumin seeds (if not available substitute with ground cumin)
- ½-teaspoon garam masala
- 1 chilli (optional)
- ½-teaspoon chilli powder
- 1-teaspoon sea salt
- Oil for frying
- Cold Water
- In a bowl, combine all ingredients aside from lemon juice and egg.
- Make a well in the centre and pour in the lemon, egg and enough cold water to make a thick batter.
- Pour oil so that the frying pan has good coverage. Heat until a small drop of batter immediately sizzles and cooks quickly.
- Drop large spoonfuls of mixture into the oil and cook in batches, turning as required until golden and crisp.
- Set aside on paper towers to drain oil.
- Serve with your favourite salad, relish or chutney! Enjoy!
Cauliflower and Onion Bhaji an amazing dish coooked by our very own Natural Evolution Founder – Farmer Rob.
Mrs Natural Evolution and Farmer Rob xo
A decadent, moist and full flavoured pudding, gluten free, grain free and dairy free.
X-MAS PUDDING
Ingredients
375g raisins, roughly chopped
375g sultanas
250g currants
200g dried apricots, roughly chopped
150g pitted prunes, roughly chopped
¾ cup brandy
¼ cup green ginger wine
½ cup fruits of the forest jam (any dark berry jam will work)
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon mixed spice
4 eggs, at room temperature
250g butter, melted, cooled – DAIRY FREE use 250g coconut oil
4 tablespoons of grape seed oil 1 cup soft brown sugar
1 1/4 cups of Natural Evolution Ultimate Gluten Free Baking Flour – Green Banana Flour for baking
2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
Method
1. Place dried fruit, brandy, wine, jam and spices into a bowl. Mix well. Cover. Stand overnight, stirring occasionally.
2. Grease a 10-cup capacity pudding basin with melted butter. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. Brush with butter again. Line base of bowl with baking paper.
3. Whisk eggs and butter together. Add to fruit mixture with sugar. Add flour, oil and bicarbonate of soda over fruit mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon to combine. Spoon into prepared basin.
4. Cut 1 large sheet of foil and 1 large sheet of baking paper. Lay paper over foil. Make a 3 cm pleat in the middle. Place, paper-side down, over pudding. Secure with string or use pudding lid to lock down.
5. Place an upturned saucer into the base of a large, deep saucepan. Place basin onto saucer. Pour hot water into saucepan so it comes one-third of the way up the side of the basin. Cover with a tight-fitting lid. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Keep checking water level because the water can evaporate and may need to be topped up. Simmer for 5 hours or take off lid and check with a skewer this is risky as it is very hot. Remove pudding from water. Stand for 30 minutes. Turn onto a platter. Serve as desired. Alternatively, cool completely then store.
NOTE: Mixture can also be used to make individual puddings. Grease cupcake pans add mixture bake 180C for 30-40mins.
This cake is so good you would never guess it was gluten free! The recipe (like most of my recipes) is an old family favourite converted to banana flour. I have such fond memories of Grandma baking this cake for our family at Christmas and even baking them as gifts for my school teachers! I am really glad that I can share this delicious cake with you and thanks to Grandma for being such a great cook and instilling a love of baking in me xxo – Mrs Natural Evolution
Ingredients
300gr glace cherries roughly chopped
375gr raisins
375gr currants
500g sultanas
1 cup brandy
250gr butter
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
4 eggs (room temp is best)
1/3 cup marmalade
1 1/2 cups of Natural Evolution Ultimate Gluten Free Baking Flour – Green Banana Flour
1/2 teaspoon bi-carb soda
1 teaspoon mixed spice
– optional blanced almond for decorating
Method
1. Place all dried fruit (currants, raisins, glace cherries, sultanas) in a bowl with brandy poured over the top. Mix to ensure even consistency. Cover and put in fridge overnight.
2. Prepare tin (square 20x20cm or round) by lining inside with 2 layers of oven proof baking paper. Wrap the outside of the tin 1cm above the rim with 2 more layers of baking paper and secure with oven proof twine.
3. In a bowl or TM mix the butter and sugar until sugar dissolves and mixture is creamy.
4. Add eggs one at a time mixing between each addition. At this point mixture may seem interesting this is just because there are 4 eggs.
5. Add marmalade, mixed spice and Natural Evolution Banana Flour. Mix well until batter is creamy and has a noticeable lighten in colour.
6. Combine the fruit and cake batter gently folding the soaked fruit.
7. Pour mixture into prepared tin, cover with alfoil and bake at 140C for approximately 3.5hrs – check centre of cake with a skewer to see if it is ready (skewer will come out clean).
8. Remove from oven to cool. If you really like a brandy flavour, pour a 1/2 cup over the hot cake and allow to cool.
9. Enjoy with friends and family 🙂
This week on the blog we are featuring an incredible recipe by Jake and Kath from @panaceas_pantry. Thanks girls these look incredible!! I can’t wait to make these myself! If you’d like to know about Jade and Kaths food adventures follow them on Instagram and Facebook.
Peanut butter, cacao and molasses cookies
Ingredients Dry mix 3/4 cup Natural Evolution green banana flour – Ultimate Gluten Free Baking Flour 1/2 cup almond meal 1/4 tsp good quality salt 1/2 tsp bicarb soda 1/2 tsp baking powder Wet mix 1/3 cup peanut butter 1/2 cup rice malt syrup 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted 3 Tbsp organic blackstrap molasses (preferably unsulphered) 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or powder 1 chia egg (I Tbsp chia seeds + 3 Tbsp coconut water, soaked in a bowl for 5 minutes, or until thickened) 40 mL nut mylk 50-100 grams vegan dark chocolate of your choice, chopped into small chunks Method Preheat over to 170 degrees C, fan forced. Prepare a tray with baking paper.- Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl, and stir to combine evenly
- Add all wet ingredients in a separate bowl and mix thoroughly, until smooth and creamy
- Pour the wet mix into the dry, and mix together until combined
- Stir through choice chunks
- Using wet hands, make 12 balls and place on prepared tray
- Bake for around 16 minutes (on the top rack), or until your desired crunchiness!
Natural Evolution – Processing waste green bananas into a superfood
Rob Watkins was one of many banana farmers frustrated at throwing away his farm grown bananas because they didn’t meet supermarket specifications.
Rob found a solution for the tonnes of wasted green bananas, and in the process has created a superfood, with his green banana flour. The flour is becoming increasingly popular in western paleo and vegan diets.
Natural Evolution has grown from producing six kilograms of flour a week to a burgeoning enterprise now employing four full-time staff in the world’s first pharmaceutical-grade green banana processing plant.
Cold room panels stabilise the temperature, and the main building’s pitched roof captures maximum daylight hours, allowing it to run entirely by solar power.
Read More
Love easy gluten free baking? Nutritious with no comprimise on flavour? Well here it is this beauty “Date and Walnut Loaf” is perfect for breakfast, snacking, lunch boxes or impressing your friends!
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups of pitted dried dates (chopped into small pieces or in TM speed 8 for 10 seconds)
1/4 cup coconut sugar
80grams of coconut oil
1 1/4 cup of water
1 cup of Natural Evolution Ultimate Gluten Free Baking Flour – Green Banana Flour
1 teaspoon of bi-carb soda
1 1/2 teaspoons mixed spice
2 eggs
100grams of diced walnuts – optional some extras for decorating
Method
-
Prepare bread tin grease or line with baking papaer. Preheat oven to 150C.
-
Place the chopped dates, coconut sugar, coconut oil and water in a medium saucepan or TM . Cook over medium heat and gently simmer for 2 minutes. TM users speed 4 100C 5 minutes.
- TM users can leave mixture in TM bowl, saucepan users pour cooked date mixture into a suitable mixing bowl.
- Add green banana flour, mixed spice, lightly whisked eggs to date mixture and mix until well combined. TM users soeed 6 for 40 seconds. Add walnuts to mixture and fold through until evenly disperced TM users be sure to use the backspin function and stay below speed 4.
- Pour mixture into prepared tin, decorate the top with walnuts if desired and bake in C oven for 40-45minutes or until skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Cool and enjoy !
It’s my favourite time of year and this week I’m making the most of the beautiful fresh summer fruits available on my door step. An old family favourite that I remember my Grandma making, only gluten free, grain free, dairy free and refined sugar free suitable for paleo diets.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup Green Banana Flour – Natural Evolution Ultimate Gluten Free Baking Flour
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 teaspoons bi carb soda
- 2 tablespoons desiccated coconut
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar (plus a little extra for dusting the base of pan)
- 100grams coconut oil
- 4 slices of pineapple
- 3 tablespoons of coconut shredded or flaked (for decorating the base of the pan – this will end up being the top of your cake)
METHOD
Mrs Natural Evolution
- Pre-heat oven to 180C.
- Using a baking tin of your choice lightly dust the base with sugar and coconut and carefully place the slices of pineapple to a design of your liking. Remember this will be the top of the cake because you make it upside down!
- In thermomix or similar combine coconut sugar and oil. Add eggs one at a time and finish by adding Ulitmate Gluten Free Baking Flour – Banana Flour, 2 tablespoons of desiccated coconut and bi-carb soda. TM mix for 1 minute on speed 6 – a food processor would work well too.
- Pour prepared mixture on top of pineapple in tin and bake in oven for 35-40minutes until skewer comes out clean.
- Enjoy & Evolve Naturally!
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