Who Are We? - Coconut Banana Bread

Mom? Flower was almost asleep but said the word softly, checking gently if I was still there or had quietly slipped out of the room. And for an odd moment, I thought she was talking to someone else. But there was no one else, just me. I'm mom.

How we view ourselves in the world is always changing. For the longest time, my identity was firmly rooted only in medicine. It was all-consuming. First medical school, days and years spent learning and studying. Then residency with hours and years spent in the hospital. It was not till I was older than me as Mom became a reality.

And so we spent spring break on a quick break to Cincinnati. I love visiting Cincy. It's a vibrant but classic Midwestern city, with beautiful art deco buildings overlooking the river. It has a lovely art museum and some great restaurants. G and I first visited Cincinnati, staying at a small boutique hotel known for its modern art gallery. It was a hot summer weekend, and we enjoyed drinks on the rooftop terrace—a carefree visit when there were not two little ones, or little gremlins, to chase around. Sometimes I joke that Poet and Flower are two perfect little gremlins. One moment they are cute and cuddly. The next moment they turn into little monsters capable of destroying everything in minutes. Or perhaps they are little hulks?

Our next visit to Cincinnati was quite different. Poet and Flower were barely two or three and simply wanted to run around. G was involved with a public art exhibit, Blink Cincinnati. Large public art installations went up all around downtown. It was his first big public piece, and it was an incredible amount of work. He set up large-scale sculptures that were also playable mini-golf holes. A bit of whimsy while enjoying art. Between his installation, the kids, and the volume of people enjoying his art, we were all very, very exhausted. He would take a uber to the installation at 1 in the morning to take down all the lights and collect golf clubs just to be sure they would be there the next day. It was certainly an experience not to be forgotten.

And so, our most recent visit to Cincinnati couldn't have been even more different. Instead of a boutique hotel with art, we stayed at the downtown Hyatt - known most for its indoor pool. Poet and Flower were ecstatic. They woke in the morning, ran down to the pool, and ended their day with more swimming. We could have been in Disneyworld, and they would not have been any happier. After a quiet dinner in the hotel restaurant, we curled up in bed and watched Hotel Transylvania. Dancing monsters, songs, and humor all rolled into one. Poet and Flower were perfectly content. I was happy to be comfy and cozy and not chasing two little gremlins around. We were all asleep barely after sunset.

We had planned a successful weekend. No more boutique hotels or drinks on the terrace. We did sneak in a little modern art at the Cincy Art museum. Instead, we spent time together, watched a movie, and swam. Time flies, and times change, but the simple joys are everywhere. Me, Mom, and I fell asleep cozy and warm with Poet and Flower beside me.

Coconut Banana Bread

I have an obsession with banana bread. It's not quite cake and not bread. It's the delicious in between. Soft, overripe bananas make the quick bread that's not too sweet and mildly fruity. And coconut in this version gives it just a little more oomph. Great for breakfast or for a light dessert.

You can also find the recipe for Flour's Banana bread on the blog here. Its a delicous version without coconut.

Serves 8-12

• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• pinch of cardamom (clove and cinnamon)
• ½ cup neutral oil
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup very ripe bananas (mashed with a fork until smooth (from about 4 bananas))
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Gently brush a loaf pan with oil or butter.
2. Sift together the flour, baking soda, spices and salt.
3. Beat sugar and eggs with a whisk until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in oil.
4. Add mashed bananas, coconut and vanilla. Fold in the flour mixture
5. Pour into a lined loaf pan and bake for about 45 minutes to 1 hour. A tester inserted into the middle should come out clean.
6. Let the loaf cool in the pan for ten minutes then invert out onto a rack and cool completely.