I’m gearing up for a large cooked vegan retreat here at Farm of Life. We’ll have about 15 guests (plus staff) consuming three meals a day…and it’s going to be busy.
To prepare, I’ve begun freezing enormous loads of baked goods (chocolate zucchini muffins (below), banana bread, home made jam…) for the fun which will begin in two days. Because these are incredibly healthy and simple variations of baked goods which are often prepared with poor ingredients elsewhere, I feel it’d be good to share them!
As you may have noticed, Mandy Blooms Raw (my previous food blog) has moved to this address! And because I believe there are many ways we can bloom for life, I think it’s suitable that I include cooked variations for those who don’t eat 100% raw.
{Cooked, Vegan} Banana Bread
Preparation Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
Serving Size: 1 Loaf
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cups white granulated sugar (I prefer unrefined cane sugar)
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
3/4 t. baking soda
3/4 t. salt
3/4 t. cinnamon
1/2 cup plain almond milk
1 t. apple cider vinegar
2 cups mashed banana, from about 4 large very ripe bananas
1/4 cup olive oil
2 T. maple syrup
1 t. vanilla extract
Walnuts (optional)
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly oil a 9″x5″ loaf pan (I use coconut oil or a non-stick pan) and set aside.
2. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugars, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the almond milk and cider vinegar and let stand for 2 minutes. Add the mashed banana, canola oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract, whisking until well combined. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing until just combined (do not overmix!). Fold in the walnuts if using and pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for about 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean. Allow the bread to cool on a wire cooling rack for 20 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.
4) If you wish to make extras (like I did), let them cool completely, wrap in plastic wrap, and freeze. Let thaw for 1-2 hours before warming up and serving.
Enjoy!
Utilize those ripe bananas, enjoy your healthier treats, and bloom for life! Yum!
Banana Bread goes great with home made jam and/or some raw honey (agave is a vegan substitute)!
XOXO Amanda
