UNPACKING, DAY 1

First day (or night, I should say) of unpacking -- successful! I forgot about most of what I opened so it was fun...Merry Christmas to me!

Best thing I re-discovered:

My TEXAS serving platter from Kyle and Steph for my graduation.

HOOK 'EM!

TWO FAVORITE THINGS ABOUT TODAY

1.  I finally set up my new mini reed diffuser that Shan gave me for (I'm embarassed to say) Christmas!

It looks perfect on my desk next to my sweet DR photo taken by the one and only, fabulous Hayley Stewart; and it smells AMAZING (when you work in an office of all boys, that doesn't happen too often!).

2. In 3 hours and 54 minutes (but who's counting, really...) I'll be the proud tenant of a new apartment! Yep, you heard me right! You might remember when I packed my stuff in Austin, and now, after 29 months, I finally get to unpack it all! I'm super excited. It seems like it's been a long time in the making, but God is so good; so faithful. His protection throughout the process from the littlest details to driving halfway across the country has been evident and I'm beyond thankful. Thank God that He is in control and not me, or who knows where I'd be!

RooTimes

For you, Family. Saw this on an umbrella at the Manayunk Arts Festival and naturally had to take a picture.

♥ Roo

OLD BANANAS + FRESH BLUEBERRIES

I bought some bananas at Trader Joes (Whole Foods for the not-completely-hardcore veggies) a couple weeks ago. I feel like I always buy bananas. I always have high hopes that I'll eat a banana a day for the whole week. And after seven days I always end up with five (I like to buy bananas in fives, it's a weird quirk...) lumps of brown mush. 


It's true, I don't love bananas. I mean, I love bananas in things and banana flavor (yes, I was the kid that would sit and pick out only the banana runts at the candy store...and maybe I still do...), but I don't like the way they always make me feel so full after I eat one. I'd take an apple over a banana any day.


All that aside, I was still stuck with five sad bananas. It's a good thing (1) that Dad's learn to eat anything whether old or leftover after having kids (I think it's part of their Dad contract or something), and that mine still does even after his kids are grown :) and (2) that banana bread is delicious.


So the Dad ate two over cereal throughout the week and I put the other three, along with some fresh hand-picked blueberries from Linvilla Orchards, into this awesome Banana-Blueberry Bread via the FatFree Vegan blog I love.

Blueberry-Banana Bread

3 large over-ripe bananas
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/3 cup (80 ml) vanilla soymilk (or apple sauce)
1/2 cup (120 ml) agave nectar
2 cups (240 g) white whole wheat flour (or regular whole wheat flour)
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (240 ml) blueberries

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray or wipe a 9×5-inch loaf pan with oil (I used a silicon loaf pan).

Mix the soymilk with 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice and let stand until it curdles. (If using apple sauce, skip this step and add the lemon juice to the bananas.)

In a large bowl, mash the bananas and add the remaining lemon juice, soymilk, and agave nectar. Stir well to combine. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture, and stir just until the mixture is well-combined. Fold in the blueberries.

Spread the mixture evenly in the prepared pan and bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50-60 minutes. Allow to cool before cutting and serving.

So good. Try it. And now you don't have to feel guilty about those un-eaten bananas; you're not the only one that lets them go brown!