Spelt Banana Bread

Banana bread has always been a comfort food for me… who doesn’t love the flavourful, warm, and overall cozy nature of a good banana bread? This recipe is a well-loved staple in our home, my husband adores it and will often cut himself “slabs”…not slices…slabs of this bread. It’s that good.

If you are unfamiliar with spelt flour, I will tell you all about it as I use it in a lot of my recipes and now is as good as a time as any for you two to get acquainted.

Spelt is known as an ancient grain that is closely related to wheat. Spelt is similar to wheat in appearance, but it’s flavour, texture, and nutritional value is quite different. Spelt is a great source of complex carbohydrate and is packed full of beneficial fibre. It is a gluten-containing grain, so it may not be the best fit for those sensitive or allergic to any gluten, however it does seem to be more tolerable than standard wheat flour. Always seek professional guidance from a Nutritionist or a Dietician before introducing spelt into your diet if you are already sensitive to gluten.

Due to the versatility of spelt, it is commonly used as a more nutritious baking substitution for replacing refined and processed flours. It has a smooth, nutty flavour and is super easy to incorporate into your regular baking recipes with some exceptions.

In this recipe, spelt helps give this loaf its beautiful texture and some of its flavour as well.

170BD1D8-ECF4-4BEF-8CF8-A4FD2ED1D070.jpg

Ingredients:

  • 3-4 ripe bananas (mashed)

  • 1 egg

  • ½ cup coconut sugar

  • 1 tbsp. Maple Syrup

  • ½ cup coconut oil (melted)

  • Pinch of sea salt

  • 1 tsp. baking soda

  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract

  • 1 tsp. cinnamon

  • 1 ½ cups spelt flour

  • ½ cup chocolate chips or chocolate chunks

    Optional Garnishes: additional chocolate chips on top with salt flakes

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 350°F

  • Mix ingredients in order of their appearance: mashing the bananas and adding in the egg, coconut sugar, maple syrup, melted coconut oil, sea salt, baking soda, vanilla, cinnamon, flour, and chocolate chips.

  • Mix well.

  • Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and trim with scissors to fit.

  • Carefully pour batter into the lined pan (now would be the time to add optional garnishes if desired)

  • Bake for 55 minutes to one hour and let cool for 10-15 minutes.

Jess