MMMBanana Bread and more!

I've been riding my bike just about every day lately. Usually to Lake George and back on the Warren County Bikeway. According to this map, it's 9.4 miles from downtown Glens Falls (or my front porch, as it were) to Lake George. I've been taking 45 minutes each way... until today. Today it took me 43 minutes to get to Lake George and only 40 minutes to get back! WOOHOO! I used to hate going to LG because of that damn 149 bridge. It's still my arch nemesis, but I'm getting much better at climbing all of the hills along the way. They've been getting easier each day, thankfully!

This is my bike...


Mine is the black Trek in the front. I'll get a better picture another time. It's my baby. It's the most awesome bike. That being said, road bikes are so much faster! My bike is great for riding through trails, going over roots, rocks, curbs, you name it. But whenever I see people riding road bikes they're FLYING! My bike is much bulkier and heavier. However, I most usually pass anyone not riding a road bike and leave them in the dust! Yeah!

Another note about the link above. The rules are all there... stay right at all times, no more than 2 across on the trail, if you need to stop get off the trail. I don't know how many morons I pass each day taking up the entire trail, riding on the left, stopping in the middle of the trail. Come on... the serious bikers out there are usually riding pretty fast, so you need to be out of the way. Hmph.

Now on to the yumminess... Banana Bread from How It All Vegan.


3 ripe bananas, mashed (Mine usually come from the freezer. I always buy too many bananas so that I have a few to freeze when they ripen.)
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup sweetener
3/4 cup chopped dates
1 1/2 cups flour (I usually use part wheat and part white, however I was running low on wheat, so this picture is of white flour only)
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 375. In a small bowl, mash the bananas with a fork until very mushy, then add the lemon juice, oil sweetener and dates (I leave the dates out), and stir together. In a separate large bowl, stir together the flour, wheat germ, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Add the banana mixture to the flour mixture and mix together gently until "just mixed". Spoon into a lightly oiled loaf pan and bake for 40-50 minutes. Test with a knife to see if done. Makes 1 loaf.

This recipe is perfect. So delicious! In fact, I'm eating a slice right now for a snack with my Peaceful Planet shake. Yum!

Vegan Shepherds Pie for dinner. I'll post tomorrow!