Cashew Raisin Paleo Bread!

One of the most common things people say to me about my paleo lifestyle is that they could never give up bread. I have actually been shocked how easy it has been to say no to the bread basket at restaurants and pass on sandwiches I used to order all the time. That being said, I do miss my favorite fruity/nutty breads, and I knew I could create a delicious paleo version to have once in a while. Raw cashews are my favorite because my grandma always had them in her house in Brooklyn when we went to visit. To this day, every single time I eat a raw cashew I can picture being in her house and seeing her smile knowing that we were eating one of her special treats (she loved to feed us). 

This is a simple, dense bread with just a hint of sweetness. You can omit the maple syrup, substitute it for honey, or use another sweetener of choice. I stored the bread in foil overnight after it cooled. It was much easier to slice on day two, so don't get frustrated!

Ingredients

- 1 cup almond flour

- 1/4 tsp salt

- 1/2 tsp baking soda

- 1 Tbsp. cinnamon

- 1 tsp vanilla

- 1 Tbsp. all natural organic maple syrup (can also use raw honey)

- 3 eggs

- 1/2 cup cashews, chopped/crushed

- 1/2 cup raisins

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Mix all ingredients other than nuts and raisins

3. Fold in nuts and raisins

4. Put batter into a parchmont-paper lined loaf pan (you can also use a silicon loaf pan)

5. Bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick or fork comes out clean

6. Let sit for at least 10 minutes, then lift the paper out of the pan and remove your loaf

7. This bread is delicious plain but would be great to experiment with for sandwiches, toast with almond butter and/or fig jam, french toast, etc. Enjoy!