Blissful Banana Bread

Gò0dNews for your Taste Buds

Blissful Banana Bread

by Jodi Varnado

February is one of my very favorite months of the year, as it holds twenty-eight dedicated opportunities to express gratitude and joy for the ones I love most. Valentine’s Day is often associated with the celebration of significant others, but it is truly a day to rejoice in every relationship God has blessed us with (including our most treasured relationship with Him). I have grown to cherish baking as a practice of showing others I value them—a rather sweet love language! This Valentine’s Day, I encourage you to gift a homemade treat to those you adore. As you prepare your ingredients, take time to be in communion with our Creator. Express your thankfulness for their presence in your life and pray that this treat will nourish their spirit.

There is nothing more comforting than a warm slice of banana bread on a cold afternoon. This banana bread is simple to prepare, with only eleven ingredients and one mixing bowl. This recipe is vegan friendly and can be easily modified to fit gluten-free dietary requirements (replace flour with gluten-free baking flour). I recommend serving this banana bread with a spread of vegan butter, a drizzle of maple syrup, or topped with a dollop of banana nice cream (a dairy-free alternative to ice cream).

Ingredients

• 1 ¾ cup of unbleached all-purpose flour • 2/3 cup of coconut sugar • 1 tablespoon of cinnamon • 2 teaspoons of baking powder • 1 teaspoon of baking soda • 2 very ripe bananas (spotty brown bananas are best!) • ½ cup of oat milk (or other non-dairy milk) • 1/3 cup of vegan butter • 2 tablespoons of egg replacer (I love Bob’s Red Mill’s Egg Replacer) • 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract • 1 cup of vegan chocolate chips (optional, for topping)

• Prepare your egg replacer. In a large mixing bowl, add 2 tablespoons of egg replacer and 4 tablespoons of cold water. Mix together until there is a smooth consistency, then set the bowl aside for 5 minutes.Add vanilla extract.

• Add wet ingredients. In the same mixing bowl, mash bananas until you have a thick, but smooth consistency.

Add oat milk and vegan butter. Mix ingredients completely.

• Add dry ingredients. Slowly add in flour, coconut sugar cinnamon, baking powder, and baking soda.

• Prepare your oven. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and pour in the batter. Cover the batter with chocolate chips (optional).

• Bake. Place the loaf pan on the center rack and bake for 70 minutes.

• Eat. Let the bread cool for 15 minutes and then enjoy!

Instructions