tackling writer's block with bananas

June just began and Taipei has already morphed into some sort of convection oven. A step outside our building meant risking my fresh clothes and clean hair to be drenched in perspiration within the matter of seconds. The sun isn't as blistering as it had been in the South (when I went on tour the previous two summers), but the humidity! It wraps itself around you like a heavy, damp blanket, and any hopes you have for the slightest breeze are crushed by the thick mugginess. June just began, and I can only imagine the humid weather come mid-July or August. To think I actually refused to install an air conditioner in my room...

I've been having consecutive unproductive weeks. I haven't been baking, I haven't been cooking, I haven't been reading as much as I used to. Once I'm hooked to a novel, I can read for hours, lying on my bed with my feet propped up against the rounded white headboard. But these days I feel distracted. Maybe it's the same old stress--the same family issues, the same lingering self-doubts that rattle both nerves and confidence despite perpetual reassurance.

I haven't been writing, I haven't been blogging. What I did do was attempt the dreaded personal statements. But despite having a story to tell, despite the emotions, the epiphanies, and the inspiration that came with it, writer's block still got the best of me. Every approach I took, every good idea that formed in my head trickled out bland and lifeless once my fingertips tapped the keys.

So I'm writing this post to tackle my writer's block--hence the title--and to hopefully draw out the motivation to get back on my feet again!

With the lack of posts all month, I haven't updated about my summer classes have I? Last Wednesday I took a placement exam at the university where I'll be taking Mandarin classes. Except for a few empty blanks and a horrendous elementary-level essay, the exam wasn't as complicated as I'd imagined. At orientation yesterday I received my schedule, bought my textbook, and found the tiny classroom I'll be going to and from for the next three months.

And so I baked mini treats ahead of time to bring as afternoon snacks. Since we had two overly ripe and disgustingly browned bananas abandoned and untouched in our fruit bowl, I used them and my new silicone baking cups to make mini banana bread cupcakes :)

I've baked more banana bread than I can remember. I made a loaf about three weeks ago but didn't post a recipe cause I felt my blog was already infested with too many bread recipes and photos (yet here I am with another bread recipe). It was a nice, fluffy and moist banana bread topped with crunchy, slightly toasted almond slices--probably one of the best banana breads I've made from just throwing ingredients into a bowl and eyeballing. But the humidity spoiled it within three days so I had to throw more than half of it away :(

This time I halved Slim Palate's recipe for these gluten and grain-free paleo banana bread cupcakes, and added 3/4 teaspoon of ground Earl Grey Tea powder to the batter. The cupcakes smelled amazing as they baked--the sweet essence of banana with a hint of something flowery. The Earl Grey isn't overwhelming, and adds an interesting, dainty layer of flavor to the tender banana bread part of the cupcake. Out of all of the gluten-free banana bread recipes I've tested or improvised, this one might just be my new favorite!

They make a delicious breakfast or snack, with peanut butter or tea (Earl Grey Tea, maybe?) or whatever you fancy. They're bite-sized too, and I keep going back for more when I should be saving them for class next week. Oh the lack of willpower I have when it comes to delicious baked goods...

Mini Banana Bread Cupcakes

adapted from Slim Palate
yields about a dozen or so mini cupcakes, about 6 regular sized
 
Ingredients:

1/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup almond flour
1/2 cup banana, mashed (1 or 2 medium bananas)
1/4 cup olive oil (the original recipe called for butter, but I substituted it and you can use coconut oil too)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp Earl Grey Tea powder (optional) 
3/8 tsp baking soda
2 tbs honey
2 eggs
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
pinch salt
2 tbs cacao nibs (I omitted this, and if you don't have cacao nibs I guess you can use chocolate chips or whatever types of chips too!)

Directions:

- Preheat oven to 350° F and set up a mini muffin tray with paper liners, or use silicone baking cups.
- In a medium bowl, combine coconut flour, almond flour, cinnamon, Earl Grey Tea powder if desired, baking soda, cacao nibs (I omitted this), and salt and mix with a fork to reduce clumps.
- In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, then add in the vanilla extract, honey, and olive oil. Then add in the mashed banana and mix until incorporated.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until the mixture is well incorporated. 
- Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tray or silicone baking cups and shape it in the way you want it to turn out after baking (if you make it pointy it bakes out pointy). 
- Bake for 15-20 minutes depending on your oven, or until a toothpick comes out clean. The smaller the molds the less time needed to bake through.
- Take the muffin tray or silicone cups out of the oven and let cool before removing and serving. These can be stored in airtight containers for up to a week, and taste wonderful if you heat them again in the oven and top them with peanut butter ^_^