These blueberry banana spelt muffins have become a staple in my household. I make a double batch and they still hardly last us through the week. Perfect for breakfast, a snack or dessert. The amount of sweetener can be adjusted to your taste, but I tend to reduce the amount of maple syrup or honey and add a little stevia. This recipe highlights the use of spelt flour in cooking. Below is a little more information on spelt.
Spelt (Triticum spelta) is a grass that originated in southeast Asia. A relative of wheat, spelt is thought to be the “wheat” that was used over 9,000 years ago, it is considered an ancient grain and has been referenced in the bible. It remained a favorite grain until the 19th century agricultural revolutions and the modernization of wheat strains.
Spelt is more easily digested than regular wheat and it has a reputation for helping people maintain good health. Additionally, it has more protein, fat and fiber than wheat, making it a a high-quality energy source. The gluten in spelt is of a different molecule pattern than that in modern wheat. Whereas, today wheat has been designed/bred to have a high gluten content, the character of the gluten in spelt has not been modified from its natural state.
According to the World’s Healthiest Foods website: “Spelt does not seem to cause sensitivities in many people who are intolerant of wheat.” This is why my sweeties begs me to make him spelt muffins – we are taking a break from regular old wheat. In baking, spelt behaves like whole wheat flour and has a wonderfully nutty but subtle flavor. In comparison to oat flour, rice flour, etc. which have strong flavor profiles, spelt makes a better wheat substitution.
Recipe for Blueberry Banana Spelt Muffins
Equipment:
- oven
- muffin tin
- 2 mixing bowls
- measuring cups and spoons
Yield: 6 large muffins, 12 small-medium muffins
Dry ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups white spelt flour
- 1/2 cup instant rolled oats
- 2 teaspoons baking powder (aluminum free)
- 1/2 tsp fine ground good salt (like Celtic Sea salt)
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Wet ingredients:
- 2 eggs beaten
- 1/2 cup coconut oil (unrefined or refined) liquid form (but not hot)
- 1/3 cup honey (substitute maple syrup, or reduce the sweetener and add a few drops of stevia)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 ripe bananas mushed well
Add last
- 1 1/2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
- Line muffin tin with coconut oil
- Mix wet ingredients well in medium bowl
- Mix dry ingredients well in separate smaller bowl
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredient and mix well but do not over mix
- Fold in blueberries at the end
- Bake for 40-50 minutes at 350 degrees F for 6 large muffins. Reduce baking time to 20-30 minutes for smaller muffins. Baking time varies on environment, keep a close watch on your muffins looking for a firm golden-brown edge and top.
- Tooth pick should come out clean when inserted. Cool 5 minutes and remove from muffin tin.
- Enjoy these blueberry banana spelt muffins while still warm
