It's true really that life can change in an instant. You just never know when & where you might get struck. I was thinking about this the other day on one of my weekend runs. Breathing the air around me and feeling every part of my body move, I often get caught up in highly constructive & stream of consciousness thought, working my way through things I might never recall without the quiet time and the space to open up and let it flow (this is why I can't run with my beloved music).

So many times I've told myself that I don't want to wait to 'fully live' until something bad happens - it's all too often that we only remind ourselves to hug our loved ones tighter or take a minute to look around us and be thankful after tragedy or loss of some kind (in these times it seems to be usually in the wake of some awful public tragedy) or after absence from those very things we love. Many of us go through life fearing things that may hold us back from progress, or in some cases, that fear is the very thing that drives us forward. In any case (I would say I am afflicted by both), it's true that both good & bad can (and does) come to our lives in a mere, singular instant.

So be prepared. Enjoy right now, and look to the future and the possibility it holds. Embrace challenge & see the future the way YOU want it to be. Accept yourself for what you are now, and celebrate those things that will bring more love, more acceptance, and more goodness to life. You just never know what's around the corner. There truly is great power in every moment.

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Banana Bread with Coconut Oil

(3) very ripe bananas
(1) cup zucchini, shredded
(3/4) cup sugar (brown or white)
(1) egg
(2) cups all-purpose flour
(1) tsp baking powder
(1) tsp baking soda
(1.5) tsp salt
(2) tbsp melted coconut butter
(1) tsp vanilla
(1-1.5) cups chocolate chips
coconut oil for oiling the loaf pan

Heat the oven to 350 degrees and oil a loaf pan well with coconut oil. Start by mashing the bananas extremely well in a bowl, being careful to get all the lumps out as much as you can. Add the egg and sugar and mix well, then add the shredded zucchini and stir.

Mix together in a separate bowl the flour, baking powder, baking soda & the salt. Put up the coconut butter to melt in a small saucepan on the stove over low heat until melted and set aside.

Combine the wet & dry ingredients together, mixing gently with a wooden spoon. Stir in the melted coconut butter & vanilla, and lastly, add the chocolate chips (I always mix with my hands at this point). Pour the batter into the oiled loaf pan and bake for 60 minutes. To check for readiness, insert a toothpick into the loaf. If the toothpick comes up with batter on it, continue to cook a further 10 minutes.

Once ready, remove the pan from the oven and allow the loaf to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. To remove the loaf, top the loaf pan with a plate and turn the pan upside down, causing the loaf to fall gently out of the pan onto the plate. Then, carefully move the loaf to a cooling rack to cool before slicing, about 10 more minutes (or as long as you can fend yourself off).

Enjoy with or without added coconut butter or cream cheese (my favourite). I am certain this loaf could be well veganized with the right amount of flax seeds, and it is worth noting I first tried this with gluten-free flour....not the most successful experiment, but hey, I tried.