Editor’s Note: I’ve recently altered this recipe slightly, by reducing the honey and adding in buttermilk.)
My recent post on facebook sparked some fun yesterday. It’s a true conversation I had with Retro Rose (my mom).
Another Retro Rose Moment:
Retro Rose: I’m eating gluten free now.
Me: Great, but didn’t you just eat toast.
Retro Rose: Yes, but I’m having gluten free crackers for lunch. Look see the box.
Me: Okay, but the toast had gluten.
Retro Rose: Just a little bit.
Me: No wonder the chiropractor asked me if I was dropped on my head.
My chiropractor saw this post and laughed out loud. It’s true that she did ask me if I was dropped on my head or in a car accident, which is a whole different topic. But, I can see how the gluten-free craze could make a person bang their head into the closest wall. There is confusion about who truly needs to eat 100% gluten free, (over two million Americans) what contains gluten, and what food products are to be avoided because they are made in a factory that also makes gluten products, (like oatmeal), etc. People with celiac disease cannot tolerate wheat, barley or rye. These same people tend to educate themselves thoroughly on what they can and can’t eat, because a product as simple as ketchup can contain gluten. Author and food blogger, Shauna Ahern of Gluten Free Girl and the Chef paved the way for educating and teaching the gluten free way of life with glorious gluten free recipe. However…
However, many people today put themselves on gluten free diets when gluten is not their enemy. This is where spelt flour comes in. It has fragile gluten and often times folks who cannot tolerate wheat can tolerate spelt. This is individual and it’s important to note that folks with celiac disease still cannot eat spelt, but many folks with an intolerance to wheat can. Are you ready to bang your head? It is confusing, frustrating, complicated because we live in a wheat dominant food culture, where the wheat has been engineered to be softer, contain more gluten, and often pesticides, and not all that conducive to the human digestive system. Much of it is not nutritionally sound.
This brings me back to spelt. Spelt is an ancient grain, with a hard husk that protects it from bugs and the need for pesticides. Even if a person isn’t wheat sensitive, spelt is a healthy choice to consider, as it is higher in protein, easier to digest, higher in fiber and has many other benefits that make it a better choice than wheat.
Unlike wheat, in which the gluten gets stronger as you mix it, the gluten in spelt gets weaker. It takes a little practice to cook and bake with, because typically our frame of reference comes from working with wheat. It’s naturally darker (unlike bleached white wheat) and naturally nuttier.
These were made on a whim. These were actually the inspiration for my recent strawberry pancakes, but these have a completely different texture pulled together by the banana and honey. They are the perfect foundation for an addition of walnuts or pecans if you want to play around.
- 1½ cup spelt flour
- 2¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- dash cinnamon
- dash nutmeg
- 1 cup 2% milk or low fat buttermilk (see note)
- ¼ cup applesauce
- 1 banana, mashed
- 1 tablespoon honey (you can use 2 tablespoons if you desire more sweetness)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Note: I make buttermilk by adding a teaspoon of white vinegar to the milk)
- Mix together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg. Set aside.
- Mix together mashed banana, apple sauce, honey, vanilla in another bowl.
- Add in milk or butter milk and mix with flour mixture.
- Heat a cast iron griddle to medium low. You might be tempted to turn the griddle higher, but the pancakes will burn. Using a paper towel rub oil on griddle. Using too much oil will cause uneven cooking. When pancakes begin to bubble, turn over, using your thinnest spatula. I use my cookie spatula.
- Apply oil with paper towel between each batch.
{ 21 comments… read them below or add one }
Deliciously healthy! A wonderful breakfast item.
Cheers,
Rosa
That must be some sort of coincidence as I jus bought a bag of spelt. Not flour but the grain itself or should I not call it grain? I was just curious how it would taste and figured it would be really healthy. Your spelt pancakes look fantastic and I might just get myself some spelt flour to experiment with!
Well said about the gluten thing. A friend of mine has recently been diagnosed with an intolerance (but not celiac) so it really makes everything seem confusing. I don’t think I’ve cooked with spelt flour before…and really with these gorgeous pancakes on display I need to buy some!
And a luxurious breakfast it is Angela!. I haven’t tried spelt but I do love buckwheat which is good for those with allergies too.
Hehe, love this post. The pancakes look incredible! I haven’t used spelt flour yet. Really need to because everyone seems to love the taste.
Greta post..love your mom…I haven’t ised spelt eithr and know nothing about it…thanks for the intro…pancakes look delish…i can have them also for lunch and dinner….
Okay I’ll admit I thought it said banana SPLIT pancakes! GREG
Great story Angela about your Mom. Very funny.
Your spelt pancakes are really yummy looking. I like your easy recipe as well.
I always have banana on my pancakes. Now you’ve killed 2 birds with one stone for me
Your conversations with RR are gold Angela! And I’ve never baked or cooked with spelt so that was really interesting to know that it behaves differently
Gorgeous looking pancakes!
I started eating and baking with spelt when I lived in Germany (it’s called “dinkel”.) The flour is inexpensive and many products in the supermarket have spelt alternatives readily available, something I miss here in the USA. Your pancakes look divine.
Hello! My husband works with your husband and turned me on to your site. I am one of the gluten “intolerant” people that does very well with spelt. Wheat really aggravates my FMS symptoms. Your recipe looks wonderful. I’m not a huge raw banana fan, but I used to really enjoy banana bread before having to change my diet. I will definitely try this out! I look forward to reading more.
Awesome recipe! My kids love it. I sometime omit the banana if we don’t have any. We are vegan so we use agave syrup instead of honey. It is a regularly used recipe in this house
Thank you so much!
Maggie Moon
Tried this recipe followed it but my pancakes stayed doughy no matter how long I cooked them for. I used wholemeal spelt and almond milk. I didn’t have apple sauce but made my own by chopping up an apple and cooking it with the nutmeg and cinnamon. Put the milk, banana and apple in blender and added to rest of ingreds.
Mine did the exact same thing. I made the same changes that you did and I got the same result. Boo..
I’m sorry ladies. I’m not sure why. I’m going to make these again this week, just to test it out. I’ve made several times and they were good.
is it baking powder or baking soda, the recipe
Calls for one but the instructions call for another.
Very different outcomes.
Thanks
Thank you for that. It’s baking powder. I fixed it.
Very nice recipe, the mashed banana and applesauce were delicious in the mix.
These stuck to the pan so badly that I couldn’t make them.
The proportions in this recipe didn’t work for me at all! They stuck to the pan and didn’t come together as pancakes at all.
I added an egg and half a cup more of spelt flour and that seemed to do the trick. I also added some grated ginger and sage. The banana and apple puree really added another level to the pancakes. Good recipe, if adjustments are made.
My boyfriend said that he never dreamed spelt pancakes could be so delicious.
{ 1 trackback }