Embrace 2020 48/365: if you're gonna bake, BAKE

SUMMARY: The classic zucchini bread is clearly winning over the plant-based one. Unless you send *really* compelling recipe advice otherwise, I am giving up on plant-based baking.

DETAIL: If you've been with me for a while you know that I've been off gluten, alcohol, dessert, and basically anything processed for almost 6 months and it has been hugely effective in resolving my inflammation woes (the worst of which manifested in severe allergies + joint pain). First weird thing = I haven't really missed the foods I have cut. Second weird thing = I still love baking, even though I don't eat any of it (for example, see the recent Valentine's cake I made...total baking therapy).

In the last couple of weeks I have tried baking a couple of alternatives to standard favorites. One was a pumpkin bread that only used caramelized pumpkin and bananas for sweetness. My family's report was that it was OK but maybe they were just being nice because it definitely has not being gobbled up at the same rate as the usual pumpkin bread I make. And then yesterday I tried a plant-based zucchini bread (ground oats takes the place of flour) and decided to also make my classic zucchini bread because I was like, hey, my family is not asking to be my guinea pigs.

Verdict? My memory of the real thing is still strong and I haven't been missing baked goods enough to bake counterparts that don't taste as good as our classics. Plant-based "treats" like energy balls or bars I'm good with; they are exactly what they promise to be, but as Jon astutely observed, the oatmeal based zucchini bread basically tastes like eating a bowl of oatmeal in a loaf shape. Basically, if I'm gonna bake, I'm going to bake because I love baking for my crew and just go with the stuff they love.