Spelt Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

Vegan, nut free, gluten free option

I’m a food gawker. True fact. I can’t help it and, frankly, don’t hide it. I admire other people’s food like some admire art. I could spend hours thumbing through cookbooks or scrolling through Instagram food feeds, finding inspiration from other people’s creations. 

As  teacher, I get to gawk at a lot of little lunches.  People truly get creative with what they send in their children’s lunch boxes, whether they know it of not. Sticky rice molded in the shapes of different animals. Sandwiches cut and decorated to reflect a season or upcoming holiday. The lengths and creative juices parents will go to get their kiddos excited about eating healthy food is often more inspirational than the pages of Bon Appetit magazine.

  Reccently, a student of mine had a lovely looking slice of pumpkin bread with chocolate chips in her lunch spread. I mentioned  how delicious it looked and she smiles at me, with a chocolatey grin, and said that is was her nana’s special bread. Special bread? Luckily, Nana was picking up from school that day and I could inquire. Turns out, it wasn’t so much “special” as it was wildly healthy and packed full of whole foods. Right up my aisle. Nana was kind enough to jot down the recipe for me and now I share it with you.

1 1/2 c spelt flour (sub gluten free flour of choice for gluten free option)

1 t baking soda

1/2t baking powder

1/2t salt

1/2t nutmeg

1/2t (heaping) ground cinnamon

1/2t allspice

1/4t ground cloves

1T ground flax seed

3T warm water

1 c pumpkin puree

1/2 c applesauce

1 banana, mashed

3T maple syrup

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. Whisk together the ground flax seed and warm water in a small bowl or mug. Let stand for at least 2 minutes

3.In a medium, combine remaining dry ingredients.

4. In another medium bowl, mix together the wet ingredients, including the flax seed/water mixture. 

5. Combine wet and dry ingredients . Mix until smooth and without lumps.

6. Fold in chocolate chips

7. Pour into a greased loaf pan and bake 30 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. 

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