Spiced Sweet Potato & Date Bread
INGREDIENTS
1 cup coconut flour [I would sub this for 1/2 cup coconut flour + 1 cup Almond Meal]
1/2 cup pitted chopped dates [I cut Deglet Noor dates up with scissors, then soaked in boiling water for around 10 minutes to soften up-- but you can also just add whole pitted dates if you're feeling lazy! I get it]
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon cardamon
1 tbsp caraway seeds [optional YUM I promise!]
1 tsp pure vanilla powder [or 1 1/2 tsp extract]
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon Himalaya pink salt
1 cup mashed Sweet Potato [about 1 large-- I cooked it be cutting into smaller pieces & steaming, then strained & blended to make a puree]
4 Chia Seed Eggs [sup: 4 reg eggs or flax eggs]
⅓ cup coconut sugar or maple syrup**[this was a little too sweet for me! I'd sub for 1/4 cup maple syrup or a few drops of pure stevia extract-- OR even leave unsweetened !]
3 Tablespoons melted Coconut Oil [sub: Ghee or olive oil]
Optional Garnishes: Hemp Seeds, Cacao Nibs, Coconut flakes, Pepita or Sunflower seeds.
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 F. Either Grease or line with baking paper an 8.5x4.5-inch loaf pan. [I used a silicon non-stick loaf pan, though a tin or glass baking dish will work too -- it's just easier to use the baking paper to prevent it from sticking]
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients.
In another larger mixing bowl, whisk chia seed eggs (or eggs if non-vegan). Add in sweet potato pureé, dates, coconut oil, maple syrup (if you're using it) and vanilla, and whisk very well to combine.
Pour dry ingredients into the bowl of wet ingredients, mixing well to combine into a nice thick batter -- if it's a little 'doughy' that's fine, just roll with it -- can always add a little water or nut mylk if needed!
Pour batter into the loaf pan, and sprinkle on optional garnishes! [I didn't have sunflower seeds, but I think they would have gone REALLY well].
Bake for around 40-45 minutes, until a knife/toothpick comes out clean. [And if after 45 minutes, it's still a bit crumbly and moist, take it out anyway!]
Allow bread to cool in the pan for about 30 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely -- being VERY careful when pulling away from the baking paper, as it may be a little crumbly/delicate [unless you switched for almond meal -- which will likely work better!]
Slice & EAT. Maybe even add a big smear of ghee, coconut oil, or nut butter...