Sprouted Spelt Banana Bread
This sprouted spelt banana bread is equally suited for a weekday breakfast or fancy brunch. Paired with nut butter it’s also a perfect post-workout snack.
I’m turning to one of our family’s long-time favorites today. This is a bread I’ve been making in different variations for years.
Many of you may recognize this as quite similar to my Elliott’s Banana Bread on my old site, CooksAid. You may have also seen the spin-off on this site: banana bread mini muffins. It’s originally adapted from a recipe in Nancy Clark’s Sports Nutrition Guidebook, which I purchased as a dietetic intern back in 1997.
Since then I have made the recipe in various forms and what I love most is that it produces such a nourishing and delicious bread. In addition, it’s such a reliable, stable recipe–it always comes out well regardless of my substitutions or experimentation!
Chocolate Please!
One early addition was the addition of chocolate chips. I guess you could say this makes up for some of the sugar I cut out! Haha. But who else agrees that chocolate is one of life’s greatest pleasures? I know my kids do. I generally seek out the darkest chocolate chips I can find, 60% cocoa or higher. If that’s not available you can always chop up a dark chocolate bar!
(And, full disclosure: I no longer measure out the chocolate chips as I did when I was a young dietitian…I pour them on until it “looks good.” )
Spelt Flour
Our current go-to uses sprouted spelt flour. Spelt is an ancient form of wheat that has been a staple in Europe for centuries. Sprouting any grain brings out the flavor and enhances some of the nutrients; some research suggests it also makes it easier to digest.* I use sprouted spelt flour for everything from pancakes to cookies to muffins.
Workout Fuel or Fika
This bread is delicious with a dollop of peanut or almond butter. Whether as a pre-workout breakfast or for post-workout refueling.
It’s also delicious with coffee for when you have fika** and adds joy to any child’s breakfast or after-school snack. My kids prefer theirs with a glass of cold milk.
Well-Ripened Bananas
One more note before I bring you that recipe: for the best banana bread be sure to use well-ripened bananas. Just slightly spotty bananas will not be as sweet as those well-browned bananas since they are not as sweet. Have a few ripe bananas but not time to make banana bread? Peel them and store in your freezer until you need them!
Sprouted Spelt Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 3 medium well-ripened bananas
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons avocado or grapeseed oil (you can use any oil)
- 1/3 cup unsweetened plant-based milk (I used oat) (you can also use dairy milk)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup sugar (or use 1/4 cup maple syrup and reduce milk to 1/4 cup)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/2 cups sprouted spelt flour
- 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips make sure dairy-free if needed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Grease a 4x8 inch loaf pan with cooking spray or oil.
- Peel bananas and add them to a large bowl. Mash with a fork.
- Add everything except for the flour and chocolate chips to the mashed bananas. Beat with an electric mixer.
- Slowly add the flour to the banana mixture, mixing on low speed just until combined.
- Pour batter into loaf pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top of unbaked bread, pushing in slightly with spoon or finger tops.
- Bake for 45 minutes, or until golden and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool for 5-10 minutes before removing from pan.
*https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/sprouted-grains-nutritious-regular-whole-grains-2017110612692
**Fika (noun and verb) is the daily Swedish custom of taking time out of one’s busy day to sit down and savor coffee (or tea) along with a little something sweet to nibble on or perhaps an open-faced sandwich. It’s a chance to hit pause and slow down, a chance to connect with friends, family, or co-workers. But of course, you can fika alone too, just put down that phone and mindfully savor. Read more about fika here!
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