A good share of “Twenties” (especially the first season) takes place at the coffee shop the main character frequents while working.

It made me think of the coffee shop that used to be in the office building where I worked and how I always went for the chocolate chip banana bread as an afternoon treat.

I named it Happy Place Banana Bread after one of the show’s episodes and because eating a slice always brings me to a happy place.

Coincidentally, this recipe is one I started developing in my 20s as one of the first baked goods I made with any regularity.

This vegan, gluten-free and low FODMAP loaf yields about 10-12 slices, and it honestly is the best banana bread I have ever made, possibly the best I’ve ever eaten.

Ingredients
0.5 cups almond milk
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
4 large ripe bananas, mashed
0.25 cups canola oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups 1-to-1 gluten-free flour
0.75 cups sugar
0.5 cups brown sugar
0.75 teaspoons cinnamon
0.75 teaspoons baking soda
0.75 teaspoons salt
0.5 cups mini chocolate chips (vegan & gluten-free), optional

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9″×5″ loaf pan.

Whisk the almond milk and apple cider vinegar together in a stand mixer or large bowl. Let it sit for two minutes.

I used this time to mash my bananas in a separate bowl.

When the two minutes are up, add the rest of the wet ingredients to the milk and vinegar mixture: mashed bananas, canola oil, maple syrup and vanilla.

In another bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together: flour, white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.

Pour the dry mixture into the wet mixture and combine them until a consistent batter is formed.

Fold in the chocolate chips if you’re adding them.

Put the batter into the greased loaf pan and bake for 70 minutes. If a toothpick is inserted and pulled out with no batter stuck to it, it’s done.

Cool the bread on a rack for 20 minutes before slicing and serving. Serve the slices with a pat of butter, a glass of milk, a cup of coffee and/or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

The Easy Route
Pick up a pre-made loaf or slice of banana bread from your favorite coffee shop or bakery.

The Pairing
Lena Waithe is a talented actress, but I love the work she’s doing behind-the-scenes just as much, maybe more. The Emmy-winning “Thanksgiving” episode of “Master of None” (which she starred in and co-wrote), is one of my favorite TV episodes of all time.

When I saw “Twenties” was available for me to stream this spring, I started watching and wound up watching both seasons in just a couple weeks. The show is a semi-autobiographical look at Waithe’s early years in Hollywood.

“Twenties” centers on three friends at various stages of their show business careers. Jojo T. Gibbs plays Hattie, a writer who is struggling to find work. Christina Elmore plays Marie, a successful junior executive at a movie studio. Gabrielle Graham plays Nia, an actress whose yoga teaching side hustle may or may not have distracted her from her acting dreams.

All three actresses are perfect in their parts. As a writer, it was easy for me to relate to Hattie, but I found myself really relating to Nia as she figures out what exactly she wants to do with her career.
I think that’s something so many of us can relate to in the midst of the pandemic and what’s being referred to as “The Great Resignation.”

But back to “Twenties” before I go on a tangent.

I hope the show comes back for a third season so we can continue to get glimpses into the lives of these three dynamic young women.

If you decide to make this banana bread and/or watch “Twenties,” let us know! Tag us in your Instagram posts & stories, tweets or TikTok videos: @veg_out_recipes