While excess sugar is not great for waist lines, mood swings or maintaining high nutrient levels, in the right forms and moderate amounts it can provide easy energy. I especially like sweets that fall under the umbrellas of paleo, vegan or even raw because they all focus on whole foods and high quality ingredients. They are generally higher in protein and lower in poor quality sweeteners and simple carbs, as well as irritants like gluten, dairy and soy. This loaf in particular is very rich and dense, just the kind of on-the-go breakfast or easy snack I like to bring along for a day of outside winter activities when granola bars and trail mix just can’t quite cut it.
Chocolate Power Banana Bread
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Serves: 1 loaf
INGREDIENTS:
- Dry
- 2 cups almond flour or almond meal
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
- 1 cup pecans, chopped
- 1 cup medjool dates (around 12), pitted and chopped
- ½ cup coconut flour
- ½ cup cocoa nibs
- ½ cup palm sugar
- ¼ cup chocolate protein powder
- ¼ cup tapioca flour
- 2 tablespoons cocoa
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ginger
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- Wet
- 5 very ripe bananas
- ½ cup almond butter
- 3 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
DIRECTIONS:
- Preheat the oven to 325°. Add all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl and mix well. Whip the eggs in a mixer then add in other wet ingredients and mix on high until fully combined and smooth. Now pour the wet ingredients in with the dry and mix well. Pour into a large parchment lined loaf pan and bake for 50 minutes and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely before slicing with a serrated knife. It freezes well.