Holiday traditions and rituals are so grounding. They’re one of the few things we can keep stable over the years if we want to. And as we grow, we can put our own twist on them or even add something totally new and different – like a grain free pancake bread recipe that has everyone happily gathering around the breakfast table together.
To give you the full picture of how one of my FAVORITE healthy recipe traditions for Christmas morning got created, I’ll take you back in time to my holidays past. Growing up, some traditions were sweet – like writing notes to Santa (even when I got way too old), and my dad would write back as the jolly man himself. We’d leave out cookies and some nice Scotch (obviously Santa’s favorite). They were always completely gone by Christmas morning. Great times– but honestly, my stepmom and dad almost always fought on Christmas, and the day would often devolve into icy standoffs and retreats into separate rooms. It’s probably what prompted my questions on surviving stressful family situations during the holidays like I talk about on this podcast episode.
When I joined Zack’s family holidays, I was so eager for a happy, Christmas card-type occasion that I dove head first into every one of their Hallmark-worthy traditions. One of my favorites is his mom’s Cranberry Orange Pancake Bread. Her recipe is SO GOOD, like it pairs best with super thoughtful presents and quality time with the people you love. But like all good things, it’s made with Bisquick and lots and lots of sugar. So, I took a stab at a grain-free and blood sugar-friendly version, and I’m honestly shocked at how good it turned out.
This healthy breakfast recipe is now one of our new favorite holiday traditions. It’s perfect for Christmas morning breakfast, snacking as a sweet bread, and even a healthy dessert. Beyond being grain free, dairy free, and refined sugar-free, this bread is loaded with cranberries which studies show to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
The Easiest, Healthy Holiday Breakfast
After you’ve passed your gorgeous dish around the table and everyone gets a slice, you get to sit back and enjoy because there’ll be only two dishes to clean. All you need to make this easy bread recipe is one large bowl, one 9×4 loaf pan and some parchment paper. By the way, one serving is SUPER filling and won’t leave you feeling hangry at all.
Enjoy, and tag me if you make it on Instagram (@lizmoody)—I can’t wait to see!
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Grain Free Cranberry Orange Pancake Bread (Refined Sugar-Free, Dairy-Free)
Ingredients
- 3 cups almond flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
- 4 eggs, preferably pasturizd
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup avocado oil
- Zest of 1 orange
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.
- In a large bowl, stir together the almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, eggs, maple syrup, vanilla extract, avocado oil, and orange zest until well mixed. Stir in the cranberries and walnuts.
- Line a 9×4 loaf pan with parchment paper, so it hangs over the side. Pour the batter into the pan.
- Bake for one hour or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let it cool for at least 20 minutes in the pan before serving.
