Introducing a hearty, wholesome bread that’s actually good for your gut, your hormones, and won’t spike your blood sugar. You know this path leads to thyroid wellness and weight loss right?

Topped with nut butter and a dash of coconut sugar or manuka honey (yes, please) makes it the bomb, especially when enjoyed with a piping cup of herbal coffee or tea. It’s also equally scrumptious with just a dollop of melting organic butter. A quick-and-easy-ready-in-a-jiffy kinda recipe, so you won’t spend all day in the kitchen; unless you want to of course!

Oh, and it just happens to be grain-free, nut/seed free and egg-free; but hey, who noticed? I’m too busy indulging at breakfast and tea. Even my typically picky teen can’t stop stuffing her face with it, and her grandma loves ❤️ that it satisfies her carb cravings in an otherwise bread-free and gluten-free kitchen! So of course, this bread is now made and devoured weekly in our home.

Nutrition You Want

Hearty, deliciousness aside, I love this bread even more for the one star ingredient that can actually help heal your gut and balance your hormones – important for thyroid and adrenal wellness.

The bread is made with green plantains, which contain a special type of fiber called resistant starch. While different types of fiber from fruits and vegetables in general contribute to a healthy microbiome; resistant starch in particular, not only feeds your good bugs, but might also bind to and help expel the bad bugs (think anti-candida). Resistant starch also helps maintain the integrity of your gut lining, reduces intestinal permeability (aka., leaky-gut) and fights gut inflammation by increasing the production of butyrate; which is the same anti-inflammatory fat found in ghee and butter. Know that when you tend to your gut, you are also greatly impacting your immune health. Resistant starch therefore gets a big gold star for gut and immune health. ⭐️

A word of caution here for those with SIBO (small intestinal bacterial growth), IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) or IBD (inflammatory bowel disease). Resistant starch might aggravate your condition, so start low (small amounts) and go slow (slowly increase only if well tolerated). This is also good advice for anyone introducing a new food or supplement in general.

This type of starch is also stellar at keeping you satiated and maintaining your blood sugar levels; which is why I intentionally add it to a client’s diet to balance hormones and support weight-loss.

In order to reap the benefits, resistant starch must be eaten only after it cools.

Let’s Eat Already

Recipe serves 6-8

Tools

Food processor or a good blender like Vitamix

Parchment Paper

Cookie Sheet

Ingredients

Use all organic ingredients for better flavor and hormonal health.

• 3 cups chopped raw plantains or raw green bananas
• ½ cup coconut flour
• 1 cup full fat coconut milk (I like Native Forest brand cans with no guar gum)
• 1-2 teaspoons ginger powder
• 1.5 teaspoons ceylon cinnamon powder
• 1 teaspoon aluminium-free baking powder (omit for strict autoimmune-protocol…it’s still yum, just flatter and denser)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• cashew butter (optional)
• coconut sugar or manuka honey

Method

Cut and line cookie sheet with the parchment paper to prevent sticking. Heat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.

Peel the green plantains or bananas carefully using a sharp knife. It’s helpful to make a slit down the length of the plantain’s thick outer skin and then slowly peel in sections. Chop the plantain into small cubes. Add 3 cups to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add all other ingredients to the food processor and pulse until well blended into a very soft dough.

Place dough on the cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and gently flatten and shape into a rectangular shape. Bake in oven for 20 minutes.

Check to see if done by placing a toothpick or knife in the center. If it comes out clean, it’s done. Let it cool completely for at least ½ hour. Cut into small square shaped pieces.

I love spreading the top with a lavish scoop of cashew butter and a sprinkle of coconut sugar or drizzle of honey. I also love it plain, slathered with organic butter. Eat a small portion, if you can. I called it hearty and wholesome for a reason.

This recipe is my version of the macho bread creation by Andrea Nakayama of Functional Nutrition Alliance, and a favorite in our practitioner community. Thanks for the inspo @FunctionalNutritionLab