Perfect Paleo Banana Bread Cake

Last night's ladies night was a Trumbull reunion. Claire, Ali, Sarah, and I proudly represented three classes of retired field hockey players. Our last pasta party was over 10 years ago, so we had a new and improved pasta-free version with an arugula salad, paleo chicken pot pie, and roasted butternut squash. I wanted to whip up a dessert, so I decided to go with a banana bread cake. I used to love making banana bread, and this was my first paleo attempt. The cake was moist, sweet, and cooked perfectly. I will definitely make this again - it would be great for a brunch party or anytime you need a quick and easy dessert. I gave away all the leftovers because I knew I would eat the whole thing! You could make this in a loaf pan and cook it for an extra 15 minutes, but I think it cooks more evenly in a pie dish. This recipe is perfect to try out on the paleo critic - it is as good or better than the traditional recipe!

Perfect Paleo Banana Break Cake:  Serves 8, Prep time: 15 min, Cook time: 40 min

Ingredients:
- 3 cups almond flour
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. cinnamon 
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, softened
- 1/4 cup honey
- 3 eggs (I used 2 eggs + 3 Tbsp. egg whites)
- 1 Tbsp. vanilla
- 3 medium or 4 small bananas, mashed

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Combine almond flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl and set aside
3. In a separate bowl, mix coconut oil, honey, eggs, and vanilla
4. Mix wet ingredients until fully combined and then add the mashed bananas
5. Combine the wet and dry ingredients in one bowl
6. Pour batter in a 9-inch pie dish (I didn't grease it but will next time for easier cleanup)
7. Bake for 40 minutes - top will be lightly browned and a toothpick should come out clean
8. Let cool and then serve topped with chopped walnuts and with your favorite cup of tea

Paleo Coconut Bread

OK people - we officially have the mystery of a lifetime. You know the whole OJ Simpson debacle? Well, this isn't exactly the same, but it is equally thrilling. I woke up this morning and noticed a box on my counter from Amazon when I went to get a glass of water. I am assuming my roommate saw it in the lobby and put it there for me. I opened the box and found this cut resistant glove with "maximum protection for employees who cut meat or fish". There was no note, no receipt, no trail of anything. There are only a few people who could have sent this:

1. Ryan - After he sent me the dehydrator, I bought a mandolin, and he is convinced I will sever my hand or at least a few fingers any day now.
2. Evan - He has the perfect sense of humor and has made me crazy with mystery things like this in the past (anyone remember the Scottish voicemail fiasco?!)
3. Steph - She sliced open her hand cutting a bagel on a winter day when we were young, and then proceeded to wave her hand around screaming getting blood everywhere. After that, cutting safety has been a key focal point in our friendship. 
4. Mom - She knows that she somehow raised the clumsiest daughter imaginable, and she is always looking out for my well-being. By the way mom, I am still really sorry about dropping that entire gallon of milk on the kitchen floor!
5. An unknown coworker - I am getting a lot of heat in Stamford for being "Sooo Paleo", so maybe someone is just giving me a hard time...
6. Mal - The list wouldn't be complete without her. I don't think it's her, but she knows me the best and would clearly see the benefits of such a practical gift.

If anyone and I mean anyone has information about this mysterious cut-resistant glove that appeared in my kitchen this morning, please contact me immediately!!

On a very unrelated note, I attempted to make some paleo bread yesterday after watching Ryan make an awesome loaf of bread in Dubai. Some may say I am competitive, but I like to think that I just wanted to get in on the excitement. This bread is interesting... it tastes good, but it has a very unique texture. Picture a dog eating peanut butter smacking its tongue against its mouth and then picture me doing that eating this bread. That pretty much sums it up. With a little almond butter and jam (neither of which I had), this would be fantastic. I will probably tweak this recipe and play with it a bit, but this definitely is a nice breakfast/side bread for anyone looking for a paleo or low carb substitute. 

Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup coconut flour
- 1/2 cup melted coconut oil
- 6 eggs or 3/4 cup egg whites (I used the whites)
- 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes (optional)
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Mix all ingredients in a bowl (use your hands at the end so it becomes more dough-like)
3. Put dough in a greased loaf pan
4. Bake 30-35 minutes until lightly brown (note - this bread will hardly rise)

  

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!