clean/vegan? my first time baking!

guess what? i've just turned 21 three days ago! i am so thankful for everyone who wished me a happy birthday and even <tried> to do online birthday surprise for me. yes, we're still stuck at home due to pandemic outbreak.

these bunch of dorks who caused a ruckus at 9 pm

and these girls who made me postpone a college discussion

life's been such a roller coaster these past few years and even harder lately because i discovered that my eczema has been spreading on my face. eczema is a condition where your skin becomes itchy and inflamed. when it flares up, it can be soooo bad that your skin cracks. eczema can not be cured and it's not contagious. i have eczema since i was 7, it started from my fingers and, years later, my feet also have it. i remember how insecure i was (actually, i still am) because of my skin condition! back in my school years, when it came to my fingers i always avoided any skin contact because people would flinch and asked me "why does your skin feel harsh?" (a friend even pointed out that she thought she was touching a grater). thank God, ever since college my fingers condition has improved. the skin there rarely peel. it only feels oddly soft and thin. nevertheless, life is always full of surprises, isn't it? probably a month ago, i got itchy bumps on the skin near my right eye. i thought it was fungal acne. well, until it started to spread and peel and the next thing i know, i have a big red dry patch there. yes, it has turned out to be eczema.

two days before my 21st birthday, i've decided to do clean eating. why? because there are some foods that can trigger and worsen eczema and i really don't want the eczema to spread all over my face. i also drink way more water (>3500 liters per day, i suppose?) since water will help me moisturize my skin from the inside. i don't mind the amount of water i should drink. the thing is: clean eating. it IS so hard! i always eat whatever i want and my mom really loves to cook foods which contain dairy products and vice versa.

i also mistook clean eating for vegan. i thought anything vegan is also clean! that's why today i baked vegan banana bread, thinking it as a way to make my clean eating becomes more enjoyable. also it's important to note that this is my very first time baking!!!! my debut as a baker!!!!!!!!!!1!111 i got the recipe from this youtube video.

first, prepare (four) bananas...

...mash 'em!

add 1/4 cup coconut oil (i used canola oil though) and a splash (???) of vanilla. stir.

in separate bowl, stir 1 3/4 cup flour, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 2 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp baking soda

oooh look what's just arrived? lol i got a birthday present from Nadhira in the middle of this

omg????!!! THANK YOU NADHIRA HOW CAN YOU BE SUCH A SWEETHEART

anyway mix the dry and the wet! don't forget to add some chocochips (since i had none, i used chopped dark chocolate)

done with the dough. now, pour it into parchment paper-lined loaf pan

ready to bake!

the most boring part. bake at 350 F until it browned and cracked on top. the video says it'd take an hour but i only had to wait +/- 30 mins 

vegan banana bread freshly baked from the oven!!!!!!!!!! the token of my baker debut!!!!!!!1!

can't believe i managed to successfully bake this!

but y'know what? this whole baking thingy got me realize that i. am. a. total. clown. DUH. after baking i googled and found out the fact that #1 rule of clean eating: you should eat less-processed food. and anything baked seems just... far from it, i guess. on the bright side, THE BREAD WAS GREAT! the texture and all, my sis said it was even better than my mom's. she said i should add more sugar, though. um, hey, doesn't that mean this one is less sugar and therefore more healthy?!

despite knowing that it's not suitable for "clean-eating", i still ate the bread.... i just couldn't resist. haha.

'til next time!

avia (officially a baker at 21).