Deadline celebration

Today was the deadline for a project I have been working on. This project was very large and very fast paced pretty much like all the projects I work on. I feel so relieved that it is done so I needed to celebrate. I decided to order pizza so I didn't have to cook dinner. I ordered from Carmen's because they use only fine ingredients and have 100% whole wheat dough. The pizza was delicious.

I wanted to do some baking tonight because what is a celebration without baked goods! I decided to get real crazy tonight and bake two things.  1) better than boxed -nutbutter brownies and 2) Whole Wheat Banana Bread. The two recipe I chose are both made without the use of refined sugars or refined flours well one of the two is actually gluten free. I can pretty much guarantee that no one would guess that during a taste test. The banana bread is so full of flavor and naturally sweet it's perfect for a sweet treat or even a quick breakfast.

For the banana bread I used two black bananas that have been hanging around for days waiting for me to bake with them. Bananas do not usually last long enough around here to turn black, so I felt that this banana bread was meant to be. 

Whole Wheat Banana Bread
(Printable Version)

Ingredients:

1 cup mashed banana 

1/3 cup melted coconut oil 

2 eggs

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup unsweetened organic applesauce 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1 3/4 cup white whole wheat flour 

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.

Grease a 9x5 bread pan with coconut oil

Mix together all wet ingredients. 

Then mix in the dry ingredients until incorporated.  Add batter to greased pan.

If you are feeling fancy sprinkle some additional cinnamon on top and then swirl with a tooth pick.

Place in oven for 60 minutes.

Remove from pan immediately after the bread is done to cool on a wire rack.

I'm feeling pretty accomplished today. Our project went out on time. I went for a 4 mile run on my lunch break. I baked two different wholesome treats for my family. Let me be real honest my family can have the banana bread but I most likely won't share the brownies!!

I had pizza for the first time it what feels like forever. I was making my own pizza each week for awhile perhaps I will need to start doing that again.

Im very sad to report that Carmen's Pizza will be closing very soon. They will be truly missed. Carmen's makes amazing food and are one of the only places in my area that cook vegan cheese steaks and pizza.