April Journal: Vegan Gluten Free Banana Bread Recipe
It's been a little while since my last journal, but I no longer have any excuse around time constraints thanks to the unmentionable virus (see my thoughts on the subject here). I hope you're all keeping safe and well and finding little moments of happiness and positivity during this time. With everyone jumping on the baking bandwagon, I decided it was time to experiment with recipes that I can eat – since visiting a naturopath, I am gluten free, dairy free, egg free and cane sugar free. Wanting to start with something slightly easier, I decided to go for a vegan gluten free banana bread recipe.
What's New
TATCHA VIOLET-C RADIANCE MASK
While watching a Zoe Sugg vlog one uneventful Friday night in, I was persuaded to try out a Tatcha face mask I forgot I had – the Violet-C Radiance Mask. As Zoe applied the purple concoction to her face, I paused the video and dashed upstairs to do the same. This mask promises all kinds of things, but its biggest claim is that it resurfaces skin, removes dullness and plumps fine lines and wrinkles in just 15-20 minutes – now that's a face mask I want to try. I can definitely confirm my skin looked brighter post-treatment but as for the fine lines, I might have to use this ongoing to see if there's a difference. Find it at Mecca here.
ANINE BING LILI TEE (WASHED BLACK)
When Anine Bing launched their 25% off sitewide sale I made peace with the fact that I would be buying something. I had been after this Lili Tee for months and finally I had the perfect excuse to invest. This tee is a relaxed fit, made from 100% soft cotton and has a subtle Anine Bing logo on the sleeve. You can browse their range of t-shirts here.
VEJA ESPLAR UNISEX SHOES
It comes a time when your trusty white sneakers that you wear to death start looking a little less for wear. In the case of my Supergas, they also start showing holes. With the rise of the sustainable shoe brand Veja, I decided to visit David Jones to try them on (pre-iso) and that was that. See how I've styled them here.
Recommendations
YOUTUBE VIDEO: HOME OFFICE MAKEOVER & TOUR BY TIFFANY YANG
Recently, my beautiful friend Tiffany Yang started her own YouTube channel. Her first video gives an insight into her stylish and minimalist home office. For some inspo on how to declutter and style your home office, watch it here.
APP: HEADSPACE
After wanting to get into meditation for about a year, I've finally taken the first steps! I'm definitely one of those people who needs structure when learning a new skill. So to put aside even 5 minutes for meditation a day with no guide and no real sense of urgency, I'm probably not going to do it. But knowing that this is a great way to manage my stress levels, I decided to download the Headspace App for a bit of assistance. If you too struggle with meditation, I couldn't recommend this more. I now find at least 10 minutes a day to meditate. Find the app here.
Vegan, Gluten Free Banana Bread Recipe
As promised, this journal includes a vegan gluten free banana bread recipe. I found the original recipe on Minimalist Baker and have adapted it to work for my food intolerances. This recipe is without dairy, wheat, oats, eggs, soy and cane sugar – but I promise it still tastes good!
I'm pretty lazy in the kitchen. So, the less ingredients, time and effort, the better!
INGREDIENTS
3 medium-sized ripe bananas
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 flax egg (1 Tbsp flaxseed meal & 2 1/2 Tbsp water)
3 Tbsp coconut oil (melted)
4 Tbsp honey
3 Tbsp maple syrup
3 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 1/4 cup almond meal
1 1/4 cup gluten free flour
1 1/4 cup quinoa flakes
METHOD
Prepare the flax egg by combining 1 Tbsp flaxseed meal & 2 1/2 Tbsp water in a bowl. Let sit for 5 minutes to thicken.
Preheat oven to 170ºC
Line a loaf pan with baking paper
Mash banana in a large bowl
Add vanilla extract, flax egg, coconut oil, honey, maple syrup, baking powder, sea salt, ground cinnamon, and unsweetened almond milk and stir to combine.
Add almond meal, gluten free flour and quinoa flakes and stir to combine.
Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes until firm and golden brown on top.
Set aside to cool.
Let me know how your banana bread loafs turn out!
Esther x
Find me on Instagram: @estherreynoldsverco
