What has everyone been doing to fill all this “extra” time at home?  Clearly I have been baking A LOT.  I have run out of almond flour twice already, but you better believe I have satisfied every single craving I’ve had – no, I’m not pregnant.  Luckily, the grocery stores aren’t out of stock on my paleo necessities because that would definitely be a bummer right now.  The stores have literally been out of everything else.  Good luck finding toilet paper, paper towels, and chicken.  Oh – and lettuce!  There has always been an abundance of lettuce at the grocery store and in the last three weeks, I’ve found one container of lettuce!  What the heck, people?!  You’re all just eating lettuce and chicken?!  That certainly won’t make you need all this toilet paper you keep buying!  Am I right or am I right?

Okay – off my grocery store rant and back to the cinnamon raisin bread.  Most of you know how much I love to make (mostly eat) my paleo chocolate chip banana bread.  THIS is just as good and I am now having a hard time deciding which one is my favorite, so that means I must make both of them EVERY SINGLE WEEK!  Why not, right?  I mean it’s delicious for breakfast, snack, or even dessert – it’s a triple threat!  My cinnamon swirl didn’t turn out so swirly in the pictures, but whatever, I had to try it.  This recipe was inspired by The Paleo Running Momma and I just added the cinnamon swirl for a little fun twist.  See what I did there?

 

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INGREDIENTS FOR THE BREAD: 

3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
2/3 cup almond butter
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 eggs
1 1/4 cup almond flour (blanched)
1/4 cup tapioca flour
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup chopped pecans

CINNAMON SWIRL:

2 tbsp ghee or coconut oil (melted)
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

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DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a medium loaf pan with parchment paper. 
   I use a 4.5 x 8.5 loaf pan.
2. Using a hand mixer, combine the all of the wet ingredients into a large bowl and mix well (applesauce, almond butter, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and eggs)
3. Add in all of the dry ingredients, except for the raisins and pecans, and stir together making sure there are no clumps remaining.
4. Add the raisins to the bread mixture and stir together.
5. Prepare the cinnamon swirl by mixing together all of the ingredients.
6. Transfer half of the bread mixture into the parchment lined loaf pan and then pour half of the cinnamon swirl mixture on top and use a knife or fork to swirl it around.
7. Transfer the remaining bread mixture and repeat step 6.
8. Sprinkle the chopped pecans on top.
9. Bake in the preheated oven for 55-60 minutes.
10. Once finished baking, remove from oven and let cool for 15-20 minutes before serving.  Store leftovers in the fridge in an air tight container for up to one week…if it lasts that long!