SUGAR FREE, GLUTEN FREE BANANA BREAD (AND PLASTIC FREE TOO)

This recipe is slightly modified from one I found online when I was looking for a gluten free banana bread (I'm lucky enough to live a life free from any dietary intolerances but some of my friends can't eat any foods with gluten). Either way, I don't think it hurts to find grain-free alternatives sometimes.

Considering this recipe packs a pretty wholesome punch, I figured it wasn't too gluttonous to eat a couple of slices for breakfast. Slathered in butter because seriously, what do you take me for? A joyless ascetic?

So, without any further ado, here's the recipe

LONG WHITE CLOUD

Exciting travel plans on the horizon. Early next month I'll be whizzing off for a short trip to my old Kiwi homeland. Since leaving New Zealand in 1991, I have only been back twice so I'm looking forward to catching up with old friends and family, pottering around the beautiful countryside and revisiting some old haunts. And of course having some different subject matter to photograph!

DYNAMO BREAKFAST

I'm a week into my sugar free month and, apart from probably eating a bit too much fruit as a coping mechanism, plus one mistakenly ordered mocktail over the weekend, I have been doing pretty well all up....considering that in one week, there's been an influx of gourmet chocolates from a returning work colleague, and an afternoon tea to welcome new colleagues that stretched over two days due to excess cake (I'd like to say this was an anomalous week at work, but it's a pretty common scenario).

KING TIDE

Over this side of the globe the phrase 'king tide' is just another way of describing the biggest of our high tides. As I recently mentioned, Darwin doesn't get much surf. What we do get though are some substantial tidal variations - approaching 8 metres in height. King tides happen a few times a year, but aren't especially noteworthy during the dry season when the winds are relatively calm. However a monsoon season king tide accompanied by stormy winds is the kind of event that gets people to the beach in droves. The evening's entertainment feature of recent days has been a churning sea accompanied by 10 metre high seawater plumes slamming into the rocky shore.

FEBRUARY FAST

Historically, this time of year commonly involves a period of fasting. I'm assuming it's because February often falls within the religious period of Lent...either that or everyone's collectively freaking out over the fact that those extra Christmas kilos are still there, even after we bought that gym membership and that new pair of lycra pants and have spent 31 days willing the kilos away. The act of fasting often accompanies a cleanse (physical and/or mental), a religious doctrine or a form of protest. While our modern preoccupation with food and eating disorders means that any suggestion to voluntarily starve ourselves can trigger a red flag, there are many studies that demonstrate the health benefits of short, regular fasting periods (anti red flag caveat: 'within the context of a well balanced and healthy diet').