Meals that Heal – Cacao & Banana Wholemeal Spelt Muffins
These delicious Cacao and Banana Spelt muffins are made with wholemeal spelt flour and cacao! Spelt, cacao and bananas are all delicious and VERY good for you. Check out why these muffins are widely accepted as great for you from both an eastern and western POV. The recipe is below as well. Enjoy for a midday snack, or even a sweet breakfast!
Eastern View
Spelt (Triticum spelta) is an ancient grain related to wheat. It was widely cultivated by ancient civilisations in Europe and the Middle East but fell out of favour in the 19th century as modern farming techniques began to develop. Spelt has a very hard outer husk that required two mechanistic processes for it to be removed. Bread wheat, on the other hand, had a husk that could be removed in a single process so it became the crop of choice. Spelt was re-discovered relatively recently in Europe, in the 1980s. New machinery has been developed to facilitate its harvesting in commercial quantities and it is now experiencing a major resurgence in many parts of the world due to its environmental and health benefits.
Raw cacao powder, on the other hand, contains more than 300 different chemical compounds and nearly four times the antioxidant power of your average dark chocolate – more than 20 times than that of blueberries. Protein, calcium, carotene, thiamin, riboflavin, magnesium, sulfur, flavonoids, antioxidants, and essential fatty acids are also present. The precise blend of all these elements combined serve to kick in naturally occurring phytochemicals that have incredible benefits throughout the body, such as lowered LDL cholesterol, improved heart function, and reduced cancer risk.
From an Ayurvedic perspective, spelt has the following qualities…it pungent and astringent, heating, light and dry. It increases Vata due to its dryness but balances Pitta and Kapha. It has a calming grounding effect on the mind and is considered a sattvic (balancing) food.
Spelt is much easier to digest than wheat and is a very nutritious grain. According to the Mudhita Institute many people who are intolerant to wheat find they can eat spelt without a problem. This is perhaps because it contains far less gluten, has undergone less genetic modification, the gluten in spelt is more soluble and the proteins in spelt are more water soluble making it generally easier to digest.
Western View
Spelt is fast gaining popularity as a health food because it contains a broad spectrum of nutrients, including complex carbohydrates, sugar, soluble and insoluble fiber, sodium, vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, amino acids and more. Spelt is high in vitamin B2, niacin, manganese, thiamin, copper, and magnesium. Because spelt is highly water soluble, these nutrients are easily absorbed by the body. In addition to being loaded with essential nutrients, Spelt is a good source of dietary fiber, which has been shown to lower total and LDL cholesterol levels. And it tastes great, too!
Cacao & Banana Wholemeal Spelt Muffins (12 small muffins)
Ingredients
- 2 large bananas
- 2 cups wholemeal spelt flour
- 1 cup roughly chopped walnuts
- ½ cup raw cacao powder
- ¼ cup apple pureé
- 1 cup almond milk
- ¼ cup 100% pure maple syrup
- ½ tsp baking powder
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Line muffin tin with baking paper.
Mash bananas in a large bowl. and add almond milk, maple syrup, apple pureé and mix together. Add wholemeal spelt flour, baking powder and cacao powder and mix together. Add chopped walnuts.
Pour mixture into muffin tins.
Bake for approximately 25 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
Do you want more Ayurvedic inspired breakfast recipes that are right for you? If so check, get my ten favorite recipes below!
