Paleo Banana Bread
I can’t take credit for this one. This banana bread (BB) deserves a solo feature as it was the first “healthy” recipe I made that I loved.
This recipe appears in Danielle Walker’s first cookbook, Against All Grain (AAG). She developed the recipes in AAG because of a debilitating autoimmune condition that left her intolerant of many foods. At the time, there were few options on the market or in grocery stores for people with very restricted diets (no Siete, Primal Kitchen, and the like). I started making her recipes in college, after it became clear that I feel and function my best without too many grains. I have her other cookbooks Meals Made Simple (my fave) and Celebrations (for big holidays, birthdays, special occasions).
Danielle Walker and Laurel Galluci of Sweet Laurel are the pioneers of grain-free cooking and baking. Lauren’s newest cookbook, Sweet Laurel Savory, is a new favorite (the naan, tortillas…). I love knowing that I have a recipe to recreate every traditional “treat”, sweet or savory, with approved ingredients.
To this day, this is my favorite banana bread. I've made it for picky friends and family, and they beg for the recipe.
INGREDIENTS:
2 T unrefined coconut oil, plus extra for greasing the pan (or grass-fed butter if not dairy-free)
4 large organic pastured eggs (dark yolks)
3 T raw honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup coconut flour, sifted (sometimes I don’t sift and it’s fine)
1/4 cup extra-fine blanched almond flour, sifted (“ “)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp pink salt, + some flaky for garnish
1/2 cup canned unsweetened FULL-FAT coconut milk (mix first if separated)
3 large ripe bananas—browner the better
Optional: 1/3 cup chocolate chips, or nuts
Garnish: sliced banana on top, sesame seeds, flaky salt, more chocolate chips, you do you
STEPS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease the sides and bottom of a standard loaf pan with coconut oil or grass-fed butter.
In a large bowl, add 2 T coconut oil, eggs, honey, vanilla, and apple cider vinegar. Combine with an electric hand-mixer (or you could use a kitchen-aid) until well beaten.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the coconut flour, almond flour, baking soda, and sea salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, beating on high until combined.
In a third bowl, mash together the coconut milk and bananas. When the consistency reaches that of baby food, add the mixture into the rest of the batter. Beat everything on medium until well incorporated.
Fold in any mix-ins.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, using a spatula to scrape the sides to get it all. Garnish as desired, and bake for 40-45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes (hardest part)
Enjoy!
Also, please enjoy this low production-value video I made in 2017 in which I messed up the recipe for the first time ever by measuring my flours first and then sifting (discarding the un-sifted bits), leaving me with wayyyy too little flour, hence this wet mess. Tasted great. But lol…fail.
