the banana thief

I have deduced, to some extent, yet another disturbing way of humans that grotesque as taken at face value, in fact ensures our survival.

We are all thieves.

While some of us have stolen away to the more extreme hemisphere of the matter, we have all, to some extent, taken that which is not ours.

Maybe you were four years old when your chubby little hand found its way over the counter top and into the cookie jar. Yes, that counts. Perhaps eight years later you saw your adorable younger brother with his fudgsicles, plural, and you had none because you’d eaten them too fast. In the next instant they were your fudgsicles, and your wee baby brother? None. Yes, that counts. Another eight years after that, frosh and bright-eyed in this new pool called university, in a sub-pool called the cafeteria you see bananas. In this cafeteria, there’s never bananas. There’s only ever four different types of apples. But then there they were . . . hear the bananas beckon.

We’ve all been thieves.

But banana bread can fix that. I promise.

Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.            

Ephesians 4:28

Ingredients for the mocha chip banana bread:

3 cups rolled oats

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp fine sea salt

3 very ripe bananas

1 1/2 tsp instant coffee granules

1 tbsp coconut oil

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

2/3 mini dark chocolate chips

additional oats for topping

To make the banana bread, first preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, with the rack placed in the center. Line the bottom of a loaf pan with parchment paper.

Place the oats in a food processor and grind until as fine as possible, don’t worry if it’s not quite as fine as regular flour. Add the baking soda and sea salt then pulse until mixed. Transfer this into a mixing bowl.

Next, puree the banana, coffee granules, coconut oil, brown sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Pour this into the oat flour mixture and stir just until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle some oats on top.

Bake for 40~50 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out with very moist and stick crumbs.

Cool completely and let it rest, wrapped up, for at least a day before eating. Store leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge and microwave for 20 seconds before eating.

Enjoy!