After months of being about 80/20 gluten & sugar free, I have finally found a recipe that satisfies my sweet tooth and carb cravings without sending me into the downward spiral of depleting health. Growing up with half of my family from Oklahoma, there was never a shortage of bread in the house or at family meals. I always noticed a little sleepiness after consuming these types of foods, but never realized what it was contributing to in my GI tract... After being diagnosed with two types of Candida, among other health concerns, I found myself needing to get rid of carbs and sugar for good. If you have never heard of Candida, it is a yeast/fungus that, when overgrown in the body, penetrates the intestinal walls and enters the bloodstream. When this happens, symptoms can range from leaky gut, skin rashes, brain fog, and depression. I experienced all of these symptoms + more, and it took a good long time to start the healing process. But that's another story in itself.

With the help of my naturopathic doctor at Bloom, it took several months to get to the amount of control I have today, and definitely remains a struggle to stay on track. I realized sugar was literally changing my moods, making me cry and leaving me tired and angry. Bread and carbs were weighing me down, making my mind fuzzy and creating a barrier for me to get any work done. Bread will forever have a place in my heart, but finding the right substitutions makes all the difference.

Against All Grain has become one of my favorite gluten-free websites and Danielle's page is just bursting with beautiful photos. Below is her recipe that I've used over and over again, making minor changes as my own recipe evolves.

Almond Flour Zucchini Bread

Ingredients

1-1/2 cup blanched almond flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon nutmeg
3 eggs, beaten
¼ cup honey
1 ripe banana
1 cup shredded, unpeeled zucchini

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.
Combine the dry ingredients in a small bowl.
Place the wet ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer, then beat on medium for 1-2 minutes until frothy and fully combined. Add the zucchini and beat again just enough to incorporate.
Slowly add the dry ingredients with the mixer running, until all of the flour mixture has been incorporated.
Spoon the batter into 2 mini loaf pans. You can also use this batter to make muffins.
Bake for 30-35 minutes until the middle is set and a toothpick comes out clean.

I have found that this recipe only makes one loaf, and after making my first batch, I noticed that the bread was TOO moist for my liking. I have since eliminated the banana (also eliminating a bit of the sugar the banana brings). I tend to add a bit more zucchini, some chopped carrots, and a little unsweetened shredded coconut. I seem to like a little bit more dense, veggie-esque bread, as well as using this recipe for muffins on-the-go. Because of the honey, this recipe is not sugar free, but instead uses a natural sweetener. This at least keeps the blood glucose level lower than traditional sugar. I do not recommend this for the beginning stages of an anti-candida protocol, but it's great if you want to start eliminating sugar and gluten, or just want a healthy sweet treat.

Read more about Candida here, and let me know what kinds of substitutions you like to make in your bread.

-Leah