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Just one more month before our house goes on the market, so I thought I’d share this recipe to celebrate the last two-and-a-half years living on this beautiful island.

Watching bananas grow is a beautiful lesson in patience and tropical abundance. It all starts with a towering stalk unfurling massive green leaves, followed by the dramatic appearance of a deep purple flower. Over the next couple months, this flower slowly peels back to reveal rows of tiny bananas, which gradually plump and mature under the island sun. From the moment the flower emerges to the time the fruit is fully ripe can take around 75 to 100 days (or more). It’s a magical transformation that feels like a gift from the land—and well worth the wait.

And then, all at once, the kitchen is full of bananas, too many to eat; banana bread to the rescue!

There’s nothing quite like the smell of fresh-baked banana bread wafting through the kitchen—if only I could share it through the screen! This gluten-free, paleo-friendly banana bread is one of my favorites, made extra special with apple bananas picked right from the backyard here on the Big Island. These small, sweet bananas bring a rich, tropical flavor that pairs perfectly with organic ingredients like almond flour, coconut oil, and coconut sugar. It’s incredibly moist and so delicious—you’d never guess it’s gluten-free.

Aloha Banana Bread Recipe

This is a delicious gluten free, paleo-friendly recipe.

Ingredients

Topping
1 cup pecans (or use mac nuts if you want to keep it Hawaiian)
2 tbsp coconut sugar
1 tbsp flax seed (optional)
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp coconut oil

Muffins
2 cups almond flour
1/3 cup coconut sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup banana puree (for moist muffins, use 2 cups*)
3/4 cups coconut sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract (I use a local vanilla from the Hilo farmer’s market)
2 eggs
2 tbsp coconut oil, melted (here in Hawaii, it’s always liquid at room temperature)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°
2. Line 12 muffin tins with liners.
3. Chop the Topping ingredients in a food processor; set aside in a small bowl
4. Spin all the Muffin ingredients in the food processor until combined
5. Fill each muffin tin with batter, just below full
6. Add about 1 tbsp of topping onto each muffin
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes in a 350° oven
8. Check that toothpick comes out clean; if not, bake another five minutes
9. Let cool about 30 minutes

(*I use 2 cups of banana puree, which makes the muffins very delicate, but oh so good!)

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