Vegan Apple Almond Bread

Butter = Mmmmmm....

I cannot imagine any baked good being delicious without butter.  Maybe this is what I get for being in love with Paula Deen.

(Her sky-high, Dallas, white hair, her ungodly amounts of make-up, that Southern drawl that makes you melt like, well, butter...)

If you follow Paula Deen's philosophy butter makes everything better.  If you follow my mom's philosophy, cheese makes everything better.

Paula and my mom, they have it all wrong.  Things can be good without dairy products.  All you need is some cinnamon and some love.

My favorite cookies in the world are vegan (read: butter-less) cookies.  There is nothing in the world that beats the snickerdoodle cookies from Vanderbilt's kosher, vegetarian cafe, Grins.  They are all sweet, soft, and full of cinnamon.  They are made with love...

They are so good I made a special trip over there earlier tonight in the cold just for a snickerdoodle cookie and some Bongo Java coffee.  Can you imagine my disappointment when I realized that they were out?

And not just out of snickerdoodles, but they were out of every kind of cookie.  I was distraught.

So, on my way back to my dorm, I decided that I was going to try my hand at this vegan thing.  I mean, after all, how hard could it possibly be? (read: famous last words).

But, it turned out wonderful.  The sweetness of the apple combined with cinnamon, love, and the crunch of almonds makes this loaf of bread simply irresistible.

And yes, I am singing that song in my head...

Vegan Apple Almond Bread
adapted from other vegan bread recipes
makes 1 loaf

1 large sweet apple, finely chopped
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup molasses
1/2 cup sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease the loaf pan.

In a large bowl, mix together flours, sugars, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices.

In a medium bowl, mix together oil, water, molasses, and apple.  Carefully fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.

Pour into loaf pan.  Sprinkle with almond slices.  Bake for ~1 hour.