Vegan Banana Bread (from Marathon Runner and "Flour" Bakery Owner Joanne Chang)

I probably have over a dozen banana bread recipes in my cookbooks and over two dozen banana bread recipes in my newspaper and magazine clippings I've saved. I had no intention of adding such a basic, well-worn recipe to my December holiday posts. Until last night.

I've been the recipient of many gifts of banana bread. Who hasn't? I'll be honest, this time of year I really try hard to not be all "Is there egg or dairy in this?" with food gifts I receive. I just smile and graciously (and hungrily) accept anyone's offering of hand made treats. It's the right thing to do. And I have such an insatiable appetite for confection, I've never met a cake, cookie, bread, candy or cupcake I didn't love! I know what goes into baking--I know time taken in my kitchen this time of year is time taken to show someone how much they mean to me. Therefore, I accept and LOVE all baked gifts landing upon my doorstep. . . Santa!

So back to the banana bread. A few weeks ago, I wandered into my local Borders for like the fifth time in a month and came across a new baking cookbook I'd not seen before. (I have ALL baking cookbook titles they carry memorized--I'm crazy like that.). The cookbook was: Flour: Spectacular Recipes from Boston's Flour Bakery + Cafe by Joanne Chang. I must have missed the hoopla over this cookbook--it came out in October.

As is my usual ritual, I try really hard to not be an impulse shopper. (Dr. Thyme may disagree with me here--but he has no idea how often I've just "walked away" from cookbooks I'd LOVE to have!) I came home, researched the cookbook some more, then yesterday morning I couldn't stop thinking about the cookbook, I re-read the reviews of the cookbook on amazon.com (okay, so this is some of my neurotic behavior emerging) and found a YouTube video of Joanne Chang making something I am just dying to try this instant (but was sidetracked by the banana bread recipe instead): Tasty Toaster Tarts compliments of the King Arthur Baking Across America project. I could sit all day and watch videos of baking deomonstrations. I am going to keep my eyes on the King Arthur channel. I really, really enjoyed the video of the hustle and bustle of Flour Bakery in Boston and of Chang demonstrating how to make and roll the dough for the Tarts. Lo and behold yesterday, I had another Borders coupon awaiting me in my inbox (as I do nearly every morning!). I have no regrets whatsoever over buying this amazing cookbook while supporting my local economy. I have every faith that as this banana bread recipe turned out to be one of the BEST banana bread recipes I'd ever tried, it will not disappoint in other baking-ness the cookbook offers.

Chang loves the King Arthur flour--so do I. Chang has run marathons, so have I! The fact that she's a runner AND a pastry chef, well, that sort of triples her star status for me in the kitchen. As for the Pop Tart made from scratch recipe--oh, it's going to be coming to a table near me very soon. I loved those things--and still do! My high school days of competitive running would have never existed were it not for Pop Tarts. Heck my adult life of competitive running for that matter. Though I will be honest, they've made rarer appearances thanks to my Almost Fifty and other growing old stuff. But bananas are a runner's best friend. I begin each day with half a banana and end each day with the other half. I don't know what it is, but I just love 'em! How did I end last night?--with banana bread! How did I begin this morning?--with banana bread!  

And this banana bread. . . so easy to make vegan. (In place of the 2 eggs called for, I used 3 teaspoons of Ener-G Egg Replacer mixed with 3 tablespoons of warm water and a teaspoon of canola oil. You could probably use applesauce or flax seed for the egg substitute--I have not tested this yet.) I also added a 1/2 cup of chopped pecans instead of walnuts and next time I bake this recipe, I will add 1/3 cup mini-chocolate chips to give it some variety. I don't imagine the chocolate chips would make it any less crave-worthy. Probably more so! Egads! The recipe would easily double for making even more mini-loaves for sharing.

The link takes you directly to the recipe, but one thing I noticed right off the bat was that the ingredients from Food Network are not listed by weight (but are listed in weights in the cookbook--providing an almost mistake-proof baking journey). I am a recent convert to baking by weight. In Chang's cookbook, weight measurements are given for all her tested recipes--she strongly urges all bakers to stand ready to bake with a scale. I tried really hard to keep this post short and not have it sound like an Amazon book review, but I have not had the pleasure of a banana bread like this in quite a long time (consuming a third of the bread myself since last night!--yes, a long run is in order today). I hope you give this recipe a go--it would be a perfect gift. . . Santa!