Pear Spelt Muffins
Pears are delicious and so versatile. There are over 500 species of pears with many shapes, textures and tastes to choose from.
If you’re like me and you get so excited that you buy a lot of fruit during your weekly shopping, you might wonder what to do with the fruit that shows earlier signs of degradation.
This is what my mom does when she cooks everything from desserts to main meals - she will find ways to incorporate that stale bread, the lonely courgette or the soft carrots into new amazing meals.
Something similar happened to me last week when I noticed 3 big and juicy pears in my second bowl of fruit (yes, we have two bowls of fruit on our dining table). The pears were quite soft and I was trying to figure out what would work great with their texture and taste.
This is how this Pear Spelt Muffins recipe was born. I love experimenting with different kinds of flours to boost the nutritional content of my baking goods. You can use any type of flour you have in your household.
Before we go to the recipe, read below the health benefits* (+ some of my plant rants) of spelt and pears so you’ll get a better understanding of the superpowers in these muffins :)
Spelt:
The grain has a strong hull that protects the plant from insects so spelt is not normally treated with chemicals compared to wheat
Excellent source of complete carbohydrates
A complete protein and high in fiber
(how awesome is this! - 30gr of spelt gives 5gr of protein and 3gr of fiber)
Very good source of multiple B vitamins
Stimulates the immune system
Helps in lower cholesterol
It has a small amount of gluten
Pears:
Very good source of dietary fiber
High in Vitamin C
Good source of copper and potassium (hello runners!)
Higher in pectin than apples
Help in lower cholesterol
Tone the intestines
By the way, these muffins are ready in less than 25min, from the moment you mix the ingredients in a bowl to when you take them out of the oven). Just perfect for a mid-week treat!
Pear Spelt Muffins
Yields 12 muffins
Instructions:
Heat the oven to 180C, fan.
Line a 12 cup muffin tin with baking cups.
Mix the spelt flour, baking powder, baking soda, brown sugar, oats and salt in a bowl.
In a separate bowl, mix the plant-based milk, oil and apple cider vinegar.
Create a well in the ingredients in the first bowl and add the mixed milk, oil and apple cider vinegar, incorporating everything well.
Add the cubed pears, ginger and cinnamon and give everything a final swirl, making sure all the ingredients are mixed together.
Spoon the mixture into the muffin tin and sprinkle oats on top.
Bake the muffins for 15-20min (depending on the oven). To check if the muffins are done, insert a toothpick and see if it comes out clean. If it does not, leave the muffins a couple of minutes more in the oven.
Ingredients:
2 cups spelt flour
⅓ cup oats
3 medium-sized pears, cubed
(about 3 cups)
1 cup plant-based milk
150ml neutral-tasting oil
½ cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
⅓ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons oats to sprinkle on top
