What better way to get rid of overripe bananas?
Oop—it's another new moon tonight. We all know what that means.
It's time to do some spellwork.
And frankly, with Pisces being a sign of the 12th house, all about dreams and subconscious thoughts and, dare I say, magic, this is the time to do a specific kind of spellwork: one that allows us to plant the seeds of dreams people told us were too far fetched. New moons are great for this kind of thing, especially, as whatever you intend will only grow as the moon gets full, so think long and hard: what's something people told you to give up on, that you knew you never could?
With all that laid down here, let's be real: they say that the first meal of the day sets you right, and so you really gotta start with something as delicious, flavorful, and perfectly paired with a cup of coffee as banana bread. This banana bread, however, focusing on the banana, cinnamon, almond, and pecan, is one that's going to go perfectly with your goals for the Pisces new moon—so consider baking it today and having a slice every day that the moon grows fuller!
Let's take a look.
Magic in Banana Pecan Bread
Now, remember: no matter what associations we might get from things like Scott Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs, we can also draw our own conclusions, as I am here. Not only are bananas a sign of fertility; they're also a bright yellow, which is the color of joy, optimism, and sunshine. Likewise, pecans, which look like a brain, are all about strategy, intellect, and effective communication (as almonds are, too). Combine these with the warm, comforting spice of nutmeg and cinnamon, and on top of their traditional associations, you have a powerful blend of magic for your intentions.
You can’t have Pisces moon magic without a touch of water, which banana brings—but after that, it’s all air and Mercury (almonds and pecans) and fire, Jupiter, and the Sun (nutmeg and cinnamon). These energies help you take all those emotions, dreams, hopes, and subconscious thoughts and communicate them into the world, with the passion, luck, and ambition to see them physically manifest in reality.
Banana Pecan Bread
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Makes 5-6 servings
Ingredients:
166g (1/2 cup + 1/3rd cup) sugar
3 overripe bananas
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
60g (1/4 cup) milk
48g (1/4 cup) vegetable oil
57g (1/4 cup) Greek yogurt
48g (3 Tbsp) Amaretto liquer*
16g (1 Tbsp) vanilla extract
2 eggs
240g (2 cups) flour
(Optional) 2 small handfuls crushed pecans
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cardamom
1 tsp baking soda
Pinch of salt
*If you can't get any Amaretto or don't want to use it, replace with 1 Tbsp almond extract (or skip altogether alongside nuts if you have a nut allergy).
Directions:
Move the oven rack to the lower middle and preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Mash three bananas in a saucepan and add 1/2 cup (100g) sugar, butter, and amaretto.
Heat until butter is melted, then let simmer for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let cool.
Mix the vanilla, eggs, milk, yogurt, and oil, and whisk until thoroughly combined.
Whisk together flour, 1/3 cup (66g) sugar, salt, spices, and baking soda.
Add cooled banana mixture to the flour until combined, then add the rest of the wet ingredients until fully incorporated.
Crush almonds or pecans into the batter and fold in.
Pour batter into a greased loaf pan and bake for 70 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
I've never had such a flavorful banana bread. Here I was thinking it would suffer for not having chocolate chips in it (which you can absolutely still add if you'd like!) but it has so much going for it on its own that it really doesn't even need it. What a perfect treat for the mornings—and a great vehicle for your Pisces new moon magic! ♥
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Sara Raztresen is a Slovene-American writer, screenwriter, and Christian witch. Her fantasy works draw heavily on the wisdom she gathers from her own personal and spiritual experience, and her spiritual practice borrows much of the whimsy and wonder that modern society has relegated to fairy-and-folktale. Her goal is to help people regain their spiritual footing and discover God through a new (yet old) lens of mysticism.
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