I love Sunday baking.

Sundays hold some of my favourite memories of growing up.  Especially the rainy ones, in which weeding the garden was out of the question and the kitchen became centre stage for the most delectable procession of baked goods and hearty meals.  Of course I had to sit on the kitchen bench with mum, “helping” by tasting all the cake batters, sifting flour and chopping up the ingredients while I waited patiently to be the first to sample the warm cookies and cakes that came out of our oven.  We talked and laughed the whole time.  In fact, I’m pretty sure that Sundays in mum’s kitchen and ironing nights on Thursdays are the reason my mum and I are such good friends now.  We shared our stories, ideas and dreams in those precious moments together, and became life-long companions over sorting socks and learning how to make a roux.

Growing up in my childhood home, Sundays were always about slow-cooked soups made from bones and barley, my great-grandmother’s peanut surprise biscuits, my mum’s light-as-air spongecakes and beautiful family meals like roasts served with piles of vegetables and lashings of gravy on the side. I was in food heaven.

This recipe is one of the Sunday baking favourites in my kitchen, and I’d like to share it with you.  Now you, too, can create wonderful memories with your loved ones whilst nourishing their bodies, minds and souls.

Because it is made entirely from whole food ingredients, this recipe is naturally gluten free, dairy free, grain free, refined sugar free, vegetarian and paleo, without using any gross substitutes or compromising flavour and texture.  It will add to your self-care rituals.  It will support your desire to raise your vibration and super-charge your connection to your own intuitive knowing.

Even my kids and skeptical partner love it.  Enjoy!  xx

Emma’s Paleo Banana Bread

Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Refined Sugar Free, Vegetarian, Paleo

130g pitted medjool dates and/or prunes (approx 10 dates, or add prunes up to 130g if you have less)
70g honey
100g coconut (cooking) oil
2 big ripe bananas
4 free range eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla paste
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup fine almond meal
1 tsp baking powder (rice flour free for strict paleo)
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda mixed with
1 tbs water
1/2 – 1 sliced banana, extra, to decorate before baking (optional)

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

In a food processor or high speed blender, blend dates, prunes (if using) and honey, add coconut oil, then bananas, then eggs one at a time, blending in between.  Add vanilla, then coconut flour and almond meal, then add baking powder and bicarb mixed with water and blend again until well combined.
Scrape down sides of bowl and blend again as necessary.

Place in a regular sized loaf tin (greased and lined with baking paper), decorate with extra slices of banana, if desired, and bake at 180C for 45-60 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean and it bounces back when you press it on top.  Cover with foil half way through baking if browning too much.  Allow to cool in loaf tin for at least 10 minutes before removing to a bread board to slice with a bread knife and serve.

Serve as is, sliced warm and smothered in butter or honey, or serve toasted with butter, nut butter or non-dairy spread of choice.

If you don’t happen to have a food processor or high speed blender, try very finely chopping the dates/prunes, mashing the bananas well with a fork, and mixing in the remaining ingredients as above by hand in a large bowl until well combined. Then bake as above.
If you try this method please let me know in the comments below how it turns out!