The birds and the bananas

I most certainly could not let an entire month go by without a blog post! As I'm sure you have gathered, I've been pretty busy these past few weeks. Beyond my fatal deer incident, my five spring courses started and to say I've been overwhelmed is an understatement. The light at the end of the tunnel is that by the end of this year, I'll be eligible to sit for the national registered dietitian examination!

I wanted to share a quick and healthy recipe that will fuel you for these cold winter days. I picked up a bunch of bananas at the store the other day only to get home to see that my soy milk had completely crushed and smooshed all my bananas. So, when life hands you squished bananas, make banana bread! I found a bunch of loose ingredients that have been gathering dust for the past few months and the result was a slightly sweet bread that's satisfying and sustaining.



Banana Bread

6 bananas, mashed
1/2 C soy milk
1 tsp vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 TBS agave nectar (optional)
1/4 C ground flax seeds
1 C rolled oats
1 C walnuts, crushed
1 C whole wheat pastry flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 C goji berries (can also use raisins)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice (optional)
1/4 tsp salt

In a large bowl, mix the bananas, soy milk, vinegar, vanilla, agave, and flax seeds. Add the oats, walnuts, flour, baking powder, goji berries, cinnamon, allspice, and salt. Mix thoroughly and pour into a well-lubricated loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour.

Makes one loaf.

I also had a heartwarming experience the other day while driving home from work. I was on a busy highway during rush hour when I noticed a beautiful, majestic seagull sitting right on the side of the road just beyond the white line on the shoulder. Traffic was whizzing by, but there he sat. I knew something was wrong.

I immediately pulled over and ran down the highway to go check him out. I walked right up to him and scooped him up into my arms. His legs seems to be non-functional. Another woman who had stopped gave me a towel to put him in. I plopped him into the back seat of the car and had my partner take the wheel so I could sit in the back and keep him calm.



I immediately called my veterinarian friend, Dr. Rob Teti, who advised me to call Tri-State Bird Rescue and Research. I called them, but they closed at five and I wouldn't be able to get there in time. They suggested I take him home for the night and advised me that he might pass away during the evening due to internal injuries.

We got him home and placed him into a box with a blanket over it so he wouldn't be stressed out by us or the dogs. He didn't make much noise, just relaxed and slept. I woke up in the morning and was ecstatic to see him up and alert, though still unable to walk. I drove him immediately to the clinic, which was an hour from Philadelphia in Delaware.

Upon arrival, they said since he was still alive and looked energetic, that he was probably going to be okay. They confirmed his legs weren't broken, but probably suffering from some temporary neurological damage due to swelling from the impact he likely had with a vehicle.

They said they will keep me posted and that they were optimistic for his recovery. I will keep you all posted as I find out more! On that note, I need to run, but I'll be back as soon as humanly possible ;)




Don't miss another post! Subscribe to Eating Consciously by Email

Find me elsewhere...

www.veganfacebook.com
www.vegantwitter.com
www.veganexaminer.com
www.veganyoutube.com