Southern Indiana · September 30, 2026

What's happening in New Albany

Weekend Roundup

A full Saturday exploring Southern Indiana outdoors

Start your weekend morning at Rice Island near Corydon, where riverside trails and fresh air offer a quiet way to begin the day. Pack a coffee and take in the natural landscape that makes this corner of Southern Indiana special.

By midday, head to the New Albany Farmers Market at City Square on East Market Street. Saturday mornings bring local vendors, fresh produce, and the kind of genuine neighborhood energy that reminds you why community matters. As afternoon rolls in, Nine Penny Branch State Nature Preserve offers a more solitary experience—old-growth forest, quiet trails, and a chance to step away from the week.

Wind down the evening at Dog Haus Biergarten with good beer, outdoor seating, and relaxed vibes. It's the kind of day that helps you remember what you love about living in Southern Indiana.

morning
Rice Island
Start at Rice Island near Corydon—riverside trails, fresh air, coffee in hand.
Photo: Thomas Benford · Google Maps
midday
New Albany Farmers Market
New Albany Farmers Market on Saturday—local vendors, produce, and genuine neighborhood energy.
Photo: Amanda Merk · Google Maps
afternoon
Nine Penny Branch State Nature Preserve
Nine Penny Branch State Nature Preserve for a quiet hike through old-growth forest.
Photo: Brandon Greenwood · Google Maps
evening
Dog Haus Biergarten
Dog Haus Biergarten winds down the day—good beer, outdoor seating, relaxed vibes.
Photo: Dog Haus Biergarten · Google Maps
Recipe of the Week

Gluten-free banana bread with chocolate swirl

This banana bread with chocolate swirl comes together in 45 minutes of prep and bakes for about 50 to 55 minutes. The recipe yields 11 servings, making it ideal for sharing with neighbors or enjoying throughout the week.

Start by preheating your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and preparing a loaf pan with cooking spray or parchment paper. In one bowl, combine three overripe mashed bananas, one-third cup canola oil, one-half cup coconut sugar, two eggs, two tablespoons of yogurt, and two teaspoons of vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk together one and one-quarter cups of ground rolled oats, three-quarters cup of brown rice flour, one tablespoon of ground psyllium husk, one teaspoon of cinnamon, one-half teaspoon each of nutmeg, salt, and baking soda, and one-half teaspoon of baking powder.

Mix the dry and wet ingredients together in three batches, then melt one-half cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips in the microwave in 15-second increments until soft and creamy. Pour the batter into your prepared pan, add dollops of melted chocolate across the top, and swirl with a butter knife to create a marbled pattern. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the banana portions comes out clean—avoid testing the chocolate sections, as the toothpick will always pull out gooey chocolate. Let cool for 45 to 50 minutes before removing from the pan.

Prep
45 minutes
Serves
11 servings
Ingredients
3 overripe bananas, mashed
1/3 cup canola oil
1/2 cup coconut sugar
2 large eggs
2 Tbs non-fat greek yogurt (or plain yogurt)
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup rolled oats, ground (or a bit over a cup of oat flour)
3/4 cup brown rice flour
1 Tbs ground psyllium husk
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Method
1
Preheat oven to 375 F (180 C). Either grease a loaf pan directly with cooking spray or oil, or line the pan with parchment paper and then spray the insides. Be sure to have at least half an inch of parchment paper above the loaf pan. In a large bowl, mix the mashed bananas, oil, coconut sugar, eggs, yogurt, and vanilla together. In another bowl, mix together the ground rolled oats (or oat flour), brown rice flour, psyllium husk, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.
2
Mix the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients. I like to add the flour mixture in three batches. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate chips. Set the microwave for about a minute and then check the chocolate. Be careful with hot bowls! If the chocolate has barely melted, continue microwaving at 15-second increments until the chips are partially melted and very soft. The chocolate doesn't need to be saucy--just melted enough so that you can stir the chips together into a creamy consistency. Pour the banana batter into the loaf pan.
3
Add dollops of the chocolate sauce on top of the batter. Using a butter knife, swirl the chocolate around so that you create a nice psychedelic swirl pattern. Bake the bread for about 50-55 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when you pierce through the banana bread portions. Try not to test the bread by sticking the toothpick in the chocolate portions, as the toothpick will always come out with gooey melted chocolate.
4
Let the bread cool for at least 45 to 50 minutes before taking it out of the pan for slicing. Store any leftovers in sealable container. Refrigerate any bread that you haven't finished in several days.
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About the author

Olivia Farnsley

Making Business Simple

Olivia Farnsley is a real estate agent serving Southern Indiana with a focus on helping families and investors navigate the local market with clarity and care. She shares weekly insights about homes, neighborhoods, and community life in the region.