Vegan Chocolate Banana Bread from Bosh! {recipe review}

The best part of being vegan was this banana bread. I am just sayin'.

It's not the first time I have baked vegan, but it was always with varying results this loaf turned out great and I ate it for days and now make it whenever I have any old bananas lurking around.

The recipe is really simple and easy to make. It's literally just throw everything into a bowl and mix it together and then throw it in the tin and bake! Finding a recipe as simple as this, but tastes just as great is always a winner and the added bonus as that no animals were harmed in the making of this baked good!

If you are looking for a great baking vegan recipe to test the waters I recommend starting with this one!

Banana Bread

250g plain flour
75g light brown sugar
75g white sugar
1½ tbsp cocoa powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground allspice
110g dairy-free butter
3 ripe bananas
60ml almond milk
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract
60g dark chocolate
50g pecans/walnuts

Preheat oven to 170C fan (190C/gas 5) and line a 1kg loaf tin with parchment paper.

Pour all the ingredients except the dark chocolate and pecans into a food processor or free standing mixer and beat them to a thick mixture. Scrape any excess mixture back into the bowl.
Break the dark chocolate and pecans or walnuts into small pieces and tip them into the bowl. Fold until just combined.
Pour the mixture into the lined loaf tin and put it in the oven.
Bake for 60-65 minutes, or until a skewer inserted at the middle of the loaf comes out clean. Take the tin out of the oven and leave the bread to cool to room temperature. Remove the loaf from the tin and cut it into slices to serve.

Veganuary - a month later

Vegan: 

/ˈvi:ɡ(ə)n

noun

1. a person who does not eat or use animal products.

adjective: vegan

1. using or containing no animal products.

Everyone wanted to know how I was getting on and would say things either like "Bacon, don't you miss bacon?" or in a sympathetic tone "Oh yeah, I forgot you can't have meat." 

It was really hard explaining to people that I didn't miss bacon or any meat to be fair. It was literally only a week ago that I had meat again for the first time since December. 

Saying that it's clear I did not continue being vegan, not because I didn't enjoy it because I did and I found it fairly easy. It's just that restricting your diet so much is hard. 

There are things in life that if you feel really strongly about it if it is hard you still do it because it's something you want or believe in. I don't feel strongly enough about being vegan to continue to do so. But that doesn't mean I didn't learn something and that I haven't changed my ways even if it isn't as strict as a full on vegan diet.

Vegan shakes from Miami Burger located in the Oracle Reading Berkshire

Things that have changed for me;

• I use milk alternatives in my coffee
• started buying vegan cheese, butter, and mayo
• less meat, once a week if that
• cooking at home more, experimenting in the kitchen
• I am still checking labels of food products and choosing vegan or vegetarian options when available 

Because I haven't cut meat out completely I don't nor will I ever try to label myself as a vegan. I can label myself as more aware and conscious of the choices I make around where my food comes from.

Even though I didn't stay vegan it did remind me how much I love exploring food and experimenting in the kitchen; as I mentioned in my list above. Recently cooking and meal planning had become a real chore and my weekly meals had started to become repetitive and boring. A few of the recipes I tried have become family favourites.

*I used the Bosh! cookbook most, if you want to learn a bit more about that then check out my blog post on the cookbooks I picked up and used!

Overall Veganuary was a success, I was proud of myself that I made it through the month without ever being tempted by meat or milk products. And learning enough to defend my choices against everyone who wanted to question me and give me crap about it. If you want more information I would recommend visiting the veganuary official website as they were my go to any time I had questions!