Sweet Paleo pumpkin & cacao bread

SERVES 8 PREP + COOK TIME 1 HOUR 10 MINUTES (+ STANDING TIME)

When we talk about Paleo, we refer to a diet in which we eat the largely unrefined foods that our Paleolithic ancestors would have recognised, before the advent of modern agriculture. A Paleo diet excludes grains, refined sugar and dairy, and instead embraces wholefood groups.

250g piece pumpkin, peeled, chopped coarsely

4 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ cup (60ml) maple syrup

½ cup (100g) coconut oil, melted (see tip, previous page) ½ cup (70g) coconut flour

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1 teaspoon mixed spice

¼ cup (35g) cacao nibs

2 tablespoons sunflower seeds

1 tablespoon pepitas

1 Steam pumpkin for 15 minutes or until tender; drain. Mash until smooth; cool.

2 Meanwhile, preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Grease an 11.5cm x 21.5cm (top measurement) loaf pan; line base and sides with baking paper.

3 Whisk eggs, vanilla, maple syrup and coconut oil in a large bowl. Stir in mashed pumpkin. Add coconut flour, bicarb, mixed spice, cacao nibs and half the sunflower seeds; stir until just combined. Spoon mixture into pan. Sprinkle with pepitas and remaining sunflower seeds.

4 Bake bread for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean (a few moist crumbs that cling to the skewer is fine). Leave bread in pan for 15 minutes before turning, top-side up, onto a wire rack to cool.

Suitable to freeze.