Vegan Chocolate Chip Pumpkin (or Banana) Bread

My mother used to make this as a cake when I was a child. I never realized until I was older that this was actually a vegan recipe. She used to make it in a round tube pan. I started splitting it into two bread pans and then slicing it like bread. Also, she only ever made this with pumpkin but I recently swapped out the pumpkin for banana and it works SO WELL!! So whether you want a Chocolate-Chip Pumpkin Bread or a Chocolate Chip Banana Bread, this recipe is THE BOMB!

In a large bowl, sift together these dry ingredients and set aside:

3 C. Flour
1/2 tspn Salt
2 Tspn Baking Soda
2 Tspn Baking Powder

Then, in your electric mixer's bowl, combine on medium speed:

1 1/2 C. sugar
1/2 tspn Cinammon
1/2 C. of Vegetable Oil
1/2 C. Applesauce
15 oz Pumpkin (I use "Farmer's Market Organic Pumpkin Filling" sold at Whole Foods, but you can use any brand.) If you're making this as a Banana Bread, hand mash 3-4 very ripe organic bananas (15 oz.)

Once the wet mixture is at an even consistency (about a minute on medium speed) slowly add the dry mixture, a little at a time on lower speed. Alternate the addition of the dry mixture with 1 C. of room temp water. You'll add a bit of the dry, then a bit of water, then dry, then water, etc... until all of the dry and the full cup of water are mixed in. Gradually increase the speed to medium and let it run until very consistent-- about 2 more minutes.

Add 1 C of Chocolate Chips and mix at medium for another minute. You can also add 1/2 cup of chopped nuts at this time, though I leave them out since my husband, Michael. doesn't enjoy nuts in his baked goods.

Divide the mixture evenly into 2 greased bread pans.

Bake for 1 hr and 10 mins at 350 F for pumpkin and for 55 minutes at 350 F for banana.

Cool for 20 minutes on a wire rack and then slice and serve.

Enjoy!