Lately, I have been using sprouted spelt flour in every recipe that calls for whole wheat flour and so far, no one has noticed.  I didn’t think I could pull it off in every recipe, especially the chocolate chip cookies recipe….but much to my surprise, I did.  It didn’t occur to me that spelt flour really is a 1:1 ratio to whole wheat flour.  That’s as far as the similarities go because spelt flour scores much higher marks than it’s more widely recognized counterpart.  It has more protein and fiber than wheat and has a lot less gluten which makes it easier to digest.  And, since the spelt flour is sprouted, it has way more nourishing enzymes than any unsprouted flour.   

Everyone goes through times in their routine where things get a bit boring.  That’s how these little muffins arrived on the scene at our house.  Just when I thought I had several healthy breakfast ideas on rotation that both of my boys liked, all of a sudden they decided they didn’t like any of it.  Just like that….it was like hitting a brick wall.  I had nothing up my sleeve that was totally new and original and nothing to work with.  They said they don’t like eggs……scrambled, boiled, poached…..this sounds like a Dr. Seuss book…..they no longer like pancakes or fruit or smoothies.  The only thing they would consider was a box of Lucky Charms.  Ha!  Sorry kiddos!   
I started going through some of my favorite cookbooks searching for ideas and came upon a recipe for banana muffins.  I made a few healthy changes and crossed my fingers as I placed them in the hot oven.   Once they were finished and cooled a touch, they disappeared….just like that.  I couldn’t believe it.  I didn’t even have a chance to test one out!  Over the last few days, I have made a few batches.  Super simple and quick.  You might need a quick trip to the market for a couple of things like unrefined coconut oil and sprouted spelt flour, but these ingredients will last a little while.  

Since this recipe calls for four really ripe bananas, I usually always buy extra so I can make these anytime.  While you are mashing the bananas, let the chia seeds soak in a small amount of water for about ten minutes before adding them to the rest of the ingredients.  Because they are hydrophilic, they can absorb ten to twelve times their weight in water, so allowing them to soak before adding them to the rest of your ingredients will ensure they don’t pull liquid from the recipe.

I added chia to the recipe because the seeds are a great source of omega 3 fatty acids and soluble fiber.  They are also known for their ability to increase stamina and energy.  Just what my kiddos needed for breakfast before sports camp!  Look for the recipe on my recipes page!  xxo!