Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C) so it’s nice and hot when your batter is ready. Grease your loaf pan with a bit of oil or non-stick spray to ensure the banana bread doesn’t stick.

In a large bowl, combine the vegetable oil, filtered water, and eggs. Whisk these ingredients together until they are well blended. If you're using mashed bananas, you can add them at this point, mashing them directly into the mixture for easy incorporation.

Next, pour in the Trader Joe's Banana Bread Mix. Stir this gently into your wet ingredients until just combined. Feel free to fold in the optional vanilla extract and cinnamon for extra flavor.

This is the stage where you can let your creativity run wild. Choose to fold in mini chocolate chips or chopped nuts. Mixing them evenly throughout the batter ensures they'll be present in every slice.

Transfer your batter into the greased loaf pan, smoothing it out so it’s even. Place it in the preheated oven and bake for about 50-60 minutes. Keep an eye on it and do the toothpick test: Insert a toothpick into the center, and if it comes out clean, it’s time to take it out.

Once baked, remove the bread from the oven. Let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.