A Trip to the Tropics

With the long holiday weekend in sight, I have started preparing foods for our backpacking trip to the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Out of the pantry came an assortment of bags to make this energy dense bread, filled with nuts, seeds and dried fruit. Play around with various flavor combinations. This version is tropically themed with coconut, pineapple and macadamia nuts. A slice of this gluten free bread would be perfect post run. To turn this into more of a savory treat, toast it and then add a dallop of goat cheese.

Tropical Muesli Bread

Ingredients
  • 3/4 cup crunchy almond butter, at room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon agave nectar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup blanched almond flour
  • 1/4 cup arrowroot powder
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground flax meal 
  • 1/4 cup dried crystallized ginger, coarsely chopped 
  • 1/2 cup dried pineapple, coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 cup macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped
  • 1/4 cup sliced almonds
  • 1/4 cup sesame seeds
  • 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
  • 2 Tablespoons coconut flakes
Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a loaf pan with grapeseed oil and dust with almond flour.
  2. In a large bowl, mix the almond butter and agave nectar with a handheld mixer until smooth, then blend in the eggs.
  3. In a medium bowl, combine the almond flour, arrowroot powder, salt, baking soda and flax meal.
  4. Use the mixer to blend the almond flour mixture into the wet ingredients until thoroughly combined. Fold in the dried fruits, nuts, seeds and coconut flakes.
  5. Pour the batter into the loaf pan. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes on the bottom rack of the oven, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. 
  6. Let the bread cool in the pan for 1 hour, then serve.
Adapted from: www.epicurious.com