Zen Banana Bread (vegan)

All I know is that I know nothing. That, and I love photographing a fresh loaf of banana bread.

It is so easy to over-think life and everything in it.  After last week’s success with creating a healthier option for banana bread lovers (by including whole wheat flour, flaxseed and maple syrup), I wanted to create a similar version for my veganites out there.  Should I use an egg-replacer?  Will applesauce counter the dryness of the whole wheat or will it crumble and fall flat? So many questions, so many approaches to take.  What it came down to was NOT over-thinking the ingredients and keeping it simple: mash the bananas, include some moist ingredients, flour, baking soda, kick it up with some spice and you have one helluva good banana bread, without the use of eggs or dairy.

This is my zen banana bread.  Baking this tasty bread, reminded me to stop, just breathe and keep it simple.  For months now I have been exhausting myself looking for ways to chase my foodie dreams while affording our domestic realities.  Resumes flying out out everywhere, TV pitches, essays submitted, I’ve even tried to blend in with the hip 20-somethings just to serve coffee.  I have been so busy trying anything, I haven’t actually focused on one thing.  Until last week, when a wise woman asked me, “Have you set your intentions?  Have you calmed your mind, taken a deep breathe and wrote out what your goals are and what you’re desires are to accomplish each one?”  Ah, no.  I’ve been too busy frantically editing key words on another faceless cover letter to actually think about what I want.

The lesson is, you cannot meet your goals until you clear your mind and really consider what it is you want.  When a moist vegan banana bread is the desire, you can take the recipe you have and hunt down replacements and alternatives for each ingredients, hoping it turns out alright, OR you can appreciate the simplicity of the ingredients you have on hand, how they will work with one another and focus on attaining that goal of one of the best banana breads of your life.  The worst that can happen is that you learn something and have to just try again.  Dare to dream, set your sights and eat plenty of banana bread.  Namaste 🙂

 Zen Banana Bread (vegan)
Inspired by the brilliant Isa Chandra at PostPunkKitchen
Makes 1 8″x4″ loaf

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1/2 cup vegan margarine, at room temperature (I really like Earth Balance)
• 3 very ripe bananas, mashed well
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 cup almond milk, mixed with 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (soy milk works as well)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a 8×4 bread pan with non stick cooking spray, or lightly coat with margarine.

Sift together flour, baking soda, salt and spices.

Cream together the margarine and sugars.  Add bananas, soy milk and vanilla.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix well. Pour batter into pan. Bake for an hour to an hour 10 minutes.  Prick with your tester to ensure it’s clean and the loaf is done.

Moist & bananalicious, I recommend this recipe for all kinds of food lovers and explorers.  Enjoy! xo

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