Fresh organic blueberries are out of season now, but you can use frozen organic blueberries for this recipe and that is what I recommend. Frozen organic blueberries are much cheaper than fresh and perfect for baking!
Plantains for Resistant Starch to Feed Your Microbiome
I love using plantains in baking, because they provide a nice amount of resistant starch that feeds our microbiome and, pragmatically, they help hold grain free baked goods together.
Gluten is like a glue (not something I want to eat) – that is why gluten grains are so easy to use in baking. But we know the dangers of using gluten and grains in general – going grain free helps so many health issues.
Using other safe starches in baking can be more challenging, but once you do it a few times you will know what to expect.
Plantains also contain loads of potassium, vitamin A, folate and all the B vitamins as well as minerals such as calcium and zinc. Wow! What a powerhouse of nutrition!
Nutrition Data for Blueberries
Blueberries are a good source of dietary fiber, vitamin A, beta carotene, potassium, calcium, magnesium and manganese.
Anthocyanin (the pigment that makes blueberries blue) contains naturally occurring plant chemicals called polyphenols which have very high antioxidant characteristics. The darker, deeper blue fruits have the highest anthocyanin values, thereby supplying the most potent antioxidant sources.
Antioxidants consist of a group of vitamins, minerals and enzymes that help bind up harmful metabolic by-products called free radicals that can lead to tissue and DNA damage, cancer, heart disease, diabetes and other age-related diseases.
Free radicals are highly reactive compounds that are formed from normal metabolic functions in the body and also when our cells are exposed to a variety of substances such as radiation, chemicals, pollution, smoke, drugs, alcohol, pesticides and the sun.
Compounds in blueberries protect us against free radical damage.
The USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging in Boston has developed an assay called ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity), which rates the antioxidant capacity of foods. Fresh blueberries have a high level of ORAC, at 2400 per 100 grams. Researchers have found that blueberries rank #1 in antioxidant activity when compared to 40 common fresh fruits and vegetables.
Another great reason to have blueberries in your diet!
Ingredients
- 1 large ripe plantain, peeled and chopped
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries separated into 2 half cups
- 4 Tbsp ghee or butter (how to make ghee (Where to buy ghee)
- 1 Tbsp raw honey (where to buy)
- 1/2 cup coconut flour (where to buy coconut flour)
- 1 tsp sea salt (where to buy salt and spices)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 heaping Tbsp collagen peptides (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325º F and prepare the 9 x 13 baking pan with greased parchment paper
- In the bowl of a food processor add the chopped plantain and process until smooth
- Add the eggs, 1/2 cup of blueberries, ghee or butter and honey and mix together
- Add the coconut flour, salt, baking soda and collagen peptides and mix together
- The batter should be somewhat stiff
- Pour the mixture into a mixing bowl and fold in the other 1/2 cup of blueberries, gently
- Pour the batter into the 9 x 13 pan
- Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean and they are slightly browned
- You may want to cover it with a safe covering for the last 8 minutes of baking
- When finished, cool on a rack
- When cooled, use a pizza cutter to cut 3 bars along the length and 3 along the width for a total of 9 bars.
- Pack individually in wax paper for ease
- These freeze well
Equipment
- 9 x 13 baking pan
- Pizza cutter
Tip: Taste the batter before use to make sure it is sweet enough. I use these as a more savory item and most times I do not add the honey, but that is a personal preference.
The key to good health is a healthy microbiome. You may be shocked (or surprised) to find out that there are 10 times that amount of bacterial DNA in each and every one of us.
That makes us more microbe than human. Perhaps we are just walking containers for the bacteria – many of whom are essential to human life.
Get the Most Current Information about the Microbiome
Are you as fascinated by the microbiome as I am? Are you hoping for a cure through this new research explosion?
Check out my newest ebook, Heal Your Microbiome Optimize Your Health – on sale today!
Like this article? Get many more and tons of information and instructions on using grain free flours in my fantastic kindle books. You don’t need a kindle to read them, as Amazon offers a FREE reader for all devices, on the sales page for each book.
Grab my kindle books here!
Grain Free Paleo Breads
Grain Free Paleo Snacks
Grain Free Paleo Desserts and Treats
These recipes are suitable for Paleo, SCD, GAPS and all grain free eaters.