We’d never heard of banana bread brownies either, until we came across this version from author, Brandi Chang. Now we know — and there’s no going back. Make this gluten-free version and check out Chang’s recommendations for easy baking swaps…

Growing up in the Midwest, the only thing “clean” about eating was our hands. If you could believe it, I didn’t even know what an avocado was until college. When I moved to Los Angeles, I was in awe of this Wild West we call wellness. I found it eye opening that you could use clean, wholesome ingredients to create food that was both healthy and delicious. An urban myth as far as my Midwestern roots were concerned. 

I wrote the Family Style cookbook to give my favorite childhood recipes a second chance at being clean. I co-authored the book with my mom, who kindly contributed her family recipes for the book. On one page you’ll find my mom’s original recipe, followed by my modified version using healthier ingredients. 

One of my favorite recipes from the book is the banana bread brownies (see recipe below!), a cleaned-up version of my mom’s banana bread. When I had to decide whether to remake either my mom’s banana bread or brownies, I came to the conclusion that one should never have to choose between the two. These gluten-free (and nearly vegan) banana bread brownies are a hybrid of both classics. I prefer to enjoy mine warm and topped with almond butter. (And by topped, I mean covered.)

In testing and writing recipes, I cultivated somewhat of a guide on what to use when seeking healthier substitutes. Here are my go-to swaps for modifying mom’s recipes for a cleaner plate:

Recipe calls for: butter
Try: coconut oil, olive oil, non-dairy vegan buttery spread (I prefer Earth Balance)

Recipe calls for: granulated sugar
Try: coconut sugar, maple syrup, dates, honey, monk fruit sweetener (I prefer Lakanto)

Recipe calls for: all-purpose flour
Try: Almond flour, gluten-free oat flour, brown rice flour, buckwheat flour, coconut flour, or a classic all purpose gluten free flour is pretty fail-proof. I prefer Bob’s Red Mill.

Recipe calls for: whole milk
Try: unsweetened almond milk, coconut milk, rice milk, oat milk (I prefer Oatly)