Ciao, 2012.

Happy Monday y'all!

I can't believe that this is the last day of 2012. This year has been crazy for me: i moved back home, started going back to school for most post-bacc degree, watched my baby seester graduate from college, rescued a new dog, won a recipe contest, and got some exciting news in my little foodie world. Somewhere in between I have dealt with all other things crazy that occur within my Italian family, all while baking cakes, cookies, and casseroles for all of you beautiful people. 

Seriously, with my blog of only 60-something subscribers, you have no idea what joy it brings me to share my life's stories and recipes with all of you. I could be broke for the rest of my life in terms of money, but ultimately, I would still feel the richness I get with each blog I post. I am super ecstatic to see what 2013 has in store for me. I know that this year is going to be big and definitely has the potential to be epic for me. No doubt about it.

 So, I mentioned that my baby seester gave me a copy of the Practical Paleo cookbook for an early Christmas gift. Because I have been dealing with a few stomach issues, I thought I wold give the paleo plan a try. Do you know what this means for me? No peanut butter and no chickpeas...which means no hummus. My world has ended. Not really, but do your know how difficult it is to stare at a vat of your favorite red bell pepper hummus from Jason's Deli and want to dive head first in it, only to stop yourself for the fear of painful stomach cramps as a consequence. Oh, and peanut butter. Let's not even go there. I hope to reincorporate it back into my routine asap! For now, I must deal with almond butter...which is a good alternative...but totally not peanut butter.

Anyway, instead of making you some sort of lucky black eyed pea dip for the New Year, I thought I would bake you a cake.

A cake with bananas. 

Bananas are lucky for me.

A banana cake.

A Paleo Banana Cake.

This banana cake is seriously the best banana cake I have ever made. 

This banana cake is melt in your mouth divine with a nutty flavor of the almond flour combined with a hint of coconut flavor. 

It's like a little piece of summer warmth during the winter. 

Please top with coconut butter. 

Only because coconut butter is lucky and oh so utterly delicious. 

But lucky too. 

Paleo Banana Snack Cake (GF, Grain-Free):

Ingredients:
2 c. almond flour
1 c. coconut flour
1/2 t. salt
1 t. baking soda
1/4 c. coconut oil, melted
1/4 c. honey
6 eggs
1 c. light coconut milk (or unsweetened vanilla almond milk)
1 T. pure vanilla extract
3 ripe bananas, mashed
slightly melted coconut butter, for topping, optional

Ingredients:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x11 baking dish with softened coconut oil.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flours, salt, and baking soda.
3. In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the coconut oil, honey, eggs, milk, and vanilla. Add the mashed bananas and mix until just incorporated.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
6. Let the cake cool slightly.
7. Cut into squares and serve with a good topping of melted coconut butter.

Makes 20-22 squares of cake.

MANGIA!!!