Spiced Banana Bread {Paleo}

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Apparently the most googled baking phrase during the quarantine is “how to make banana bread” and I ironically made paleo banana bread today without even knowing that!  I’m here to share the recipe with you in case that’s what you’re trying to figure out during your time at home! I adapted this recipe from one of my favorite primal cookbooks: Primal Cravings.  If you like the texture, feel free to adapt the recipe to make whatever flavor you like!
Spiced Banana Bread
Ingredients:
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup maple syrup or honey
2 mashed, ripe bananas
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cloves
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325F, and line small loaf pan with parchment paper.  Combine the wet ingredients.  In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Mix the wet and dry ingredients together and pour batter into loaf pan. Bake until the edges are golden and middle is cooked through, which is about an hour.  Let it cool in the pan before removing.

Cauliflower “oatmeal”

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Cauliflower is one cruciferous veggie that is great for detoxification!  Cauliflower includes antioxidants that boost Phase 1 of detoxification, which is all about turning toxins from fat-lovers looking for storage and prepping them to become water-loving chemicals that are easy to eliminate. Cauliflower also has sulfur-containing nutrients that boost Phase 2 detoxification, which is where they get fully transformed into water-lovers. It also contains phytonutrients called glucosinolates, which activate detox enzymes and intensify their activity. Can I just also mention that it contains something called  indole-3-carbinol, which breaks down bad estrogens in the body to help with hormonal harmony!
For those keeping track of carbs, cauliflower is the low carb sub for potatoes in dishes, and it contains some fiber to health regulate bowels and blood sugar.
BUT, have you ever considered cauliflower for breakfast?! Now you can try it, even if just for your new year reset.
Cauliflower “Oatmeal”
Ingredients:
One bag of frozen cauliflower rice
Coconut milk/Almond milk
Pinch of salt
TBSP or more of cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
Toppings: feel free to top with berries, coconut, nuts
Optional additions: add nut butter or protein powder
Directions:
Pour the bag of cauliflower into a pan on the stove top and add about 1-2 cups of milk.  Start with less and decide what you like in terms of consistency.  Add you cinnamon and simmer for 10 minutes.  Cook longer for more mushy consistency.  Take off heat and add vanilla and a pinch of salt. Top with your favorites and enjoy!

Paleo Pear Crisp

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It’s pear time! And while apples get all the attention, pear can be just as good!

Paleo Pear Crisp:

  • 4-5 pears, cored, and sliced
  • juice of half a lemon
  • 2 Tbsp coconut sugar
  • 1 Tbsp cinnamon
  • 1 Tbsp arrowroot powder

Topping:

  • half stick of butter (or 1/4 cup coconut oil)
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 Tbsp coconut sugar
  • 1 Tbsp of apple pie or pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 1/2 cups almond flour

Directions:

Mix the filling ingredients together until coated and put in an 8×8 or 9×13 depending on how thick you want it.  Crumble the topping ingredients together and cover the filling.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 20-25 minutes.  Turn the oven to  broil and brown the topping  for about 3 minutes!

Toast Alternative for Egg Dippers (paleo, gluten-free, dairy-free)

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Every person who loves breakfast, runny eggs, and the toast that you dip in it cries a tear when they decide to give up bread.  It’s a bittersweet tear because it’s a complicated topic, but I think it’s safe to say that most wheat products these days are not exactly helping our healthy cause.  So, I decided to come up with a savory pancake that could double as an egg-dipper!  I can still have my runny yolks and dip them too, sans bread.
Egg Dippers (grain free, dairy free)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour
4 eggs
1/2 cup shredded zucchini
1 cup water
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp paprika
2 Tbsp fresh minced chives
1/4 cup chopped kale
salt and pepper
Directions:
Mix together your dry ingredients and then add you wet ingredients until you have a batter.  Heat a nonstick pan over medium high heat and use bacon fat for the first batch to grease the pan.  Cook the batter on one side until the edges are firm.  Flip the pancake and cook for another 2 minutes or so.  After your first set of pancakes you can see how long you need to be cooking them on each side so they are cooked through since every stovetop is quite different!

Wild Berry Muffins (gluten-free, paleo)

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Wild berries are all over the place right now!  If you are lucky enough to forage around and pick some, then you won’t regret it.  Otherwise, you could easily use any berry.
Wild Berry Muffins (gluten-free, paleo)
Ingredients:
6 eggs
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 softened butter
1/2 cup local honey
1 Tbsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup berries
zest from one lemon
Tbsp of fresh thyme (optional)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F.  Mix honey and butter together and then add everything else.  Fold in berries.  Fill muffin cups and bake for 30-35 minutes.  Allow to cool and enjoy.

Breakfast Quesadillas (Grain-free, Gluten-free)

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I don’t know if you guys have been out to Whole Foods to pick up Siete wraps yet, but they completely opened the door for me to make quesadillas again!  This version is breakfast, but you could really go any route, so try “pizza” with Italian seasoning, mozzarella, pepperoni, because that would be great, too!
Breakfast Quesadillas 
Ingredients:
Siete tortillas (any variety found at Whole Foods.  I preferred the almond flour)
  • raw, shredded cheese
  • scrambled eggs
  • cooked bell peppers and onion
  • cooked bacon
Directions:
Heat a skillet to med-high.  Cook all your ingredients (eggs, bacon, veggies).  Place one tortilla on the skillet and place the cooked ingredients along with cheese on the tortilla.  Make sure that cheese is in contact with the tortilla and some is on top to attach to the other tortilla.  Add the second tortilla on top and cook for 5 min or so until the tortilla begins to brown.  Flip the quesadilla over and brown on the other side, too.  These tortillas are small enough you shouldn’t have to do a magic trick to flip it.  Use an electric skillet to do multiple at a time!

Peanut Butter and Strawberry Jam Pancakes

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I had some frozen strawberries that were literally staring at me for months from the freezer.  I didn’t feel very inspired to find a destiny until I found these peanut butter chips at the store!  Pancakes that are peanut butter and jelly?  Sold.  Peanuts are technically a legume, so these are NOT paleo.  However, you could make them strawberry and use sunbutter like in the picture for the same effect.
Peanut Butter and Strawberry Jam Pancakes
Ingredients:
2 cups strawberries
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour
4 eggs
1 cup coconut milk
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup peanut butter chips
Directions:
Place strawberries in a saucepan and cook until they breakdown and can be smashed into a thick jam consistency.
 Combine the pancake ingredients and add the strawberries and peanut butter chips. Cook about 3 minutes on each side.  Double the batch for freezing or for grab-and-go breakfast throughout the week.
 

Paleo Cinnamon and Cream Cheese Muffins

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Cheese is always a fading memory for those that have made a transition to dairy free, and many people are fine with that.  However, when there is a dairy free option that is still conducive to meeting their health goals, they wouldn’t mind partaking!  I ran across Kite Hill Almond Cream Cheese Spread and decided to try it out.  If you aren’t spreading it on a bagel, what on earth do you do with cream cheese?  I decided to try baking first to see if it would hold it’s own under heat.  I really enjoyed this cheater version of cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting, and they are so much easier than making cinnamon rolls.  Stay tuned on FB and instagram for how the cream cheese story unfolds in different applications.
Paleo Cinnamon and Cream Cheese Muffins
Ingredients:
1/2 cup coconut milk
2 eggs
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups almond flour
1/2 cup arrowroot powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp cinnamon
7 Tbsp or so of almond cream cheese by Kite Hill (I didn’t measure)
Directions:
Preheat over to 325F.  Stir dry ingredients together.  Add the wet ingredients (except cream cheese) and combine.  Place batter in greased or lined muffin tins and dollop a Tbsp or 2 on top of muffin.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the top springs back at you. The cream cheese will not melt but will be creamy to eat.

Meyer Lemon Muffins

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When Meyer lemons are in season, you take full advantage!  I went through an entire bag in 2 days!  They are different from regular lemons in the sense that are sweeter and almost a cross between a lemon and an orange?  So, they tend to be a good option for baking. These muffins have no nuts, so that’s a plus for those that may be allergic or trying to save money.  They are pretty high in protein because of the egg content, but keep in mind these are still a treat!
Meyer Lemon Muffins
Ingredients:
2/3 cup coconut flour
1 tsp baking powder
8 eggs
1/4 cup coconut milk or almond milk
zest from 2 lemons
1/ cup honey or maple syrup
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp vanilla
1/2 cup butter, melted
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F.  Place all the ingredients, except the butter, in a bowl and mix until blended.  Once blended, start to slowly add the butter until incorporated.  Place in silicone lined muffin tins and bake for 22 minutes.

Strawberry Banana Breakfast Bowl

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We have all probably heard about acai bowls at some point in our life, and they are super tasty!  However, acai is not the most convenient ingredient to get ahold of.  The concept of a smoothie in a bowl topped with goodness is not one that must be reserved for acai.  This is the same concept with more readily gained ingredients.  Drink it through a straw or eat it with a spoon, the power is in your hands.
Strawberry Banana Breakfast Bowl
Ingredients:
1/2 frozen banana
4 frozen organic strawberries (part of the dirty dozen!)
1/2 an avocado
1 heaping Tbsp of gelatin (Great Lakes is the brand I use)
1 tsp maca (for hormone balance)
almond milk
4 walnuts, chopped
Directions:
Place the banana, berries, gelatin, avocado, and maca in the blender and cover the ingredients in almond milk or coconut milk until you can see bits and pieces peaking above the milk level.  Blend until smooth.  Top with chopped nuts and eat like a bowl of cereal!  But way healthier and more homemade.