According to St. Hildegard of Bingen (1098–1179), food is medicine for a healthy life. In her renowned work on natural medicine, she extols the healing virtues inherent in herbs, spices, grains, fruits, animals, as well as precious stones and metals. Among these, St. Hildegard identifies spelt as the premier grain, and today, we're taking up her wisdom with a delightful Hildegard-inspired recipe for buttermilk pancakes!
St. Hildegard celebrates spelt for its ability to uplift the spirit, its exceptional nutritional profile, and its gentle effect on digestion. She describes it as inherently invigorating, imparting strength and vitality, while also offering warmth and lubrication to the body. Whether in good health or convalescing, St. Hildegard recommends incorporating spelt into one's diet, and our family wholeheartedly adopts this advice. These spelt pancakes are not only delicious but also remarkably sustaining—I find they ward off the usual "sugar crash" and leave me feeling nourished and content.
While pancakes were most likely not consumed by the Benedictine Abbess herself, this recipe offers a healthier way to enjoy this modern breakfast item. Paired with a comforting cup of spelt coffee (recipe coming soon!), spelt pancakes create a special breakfast experience, leaving you feeling invigorated and satisfied.
Here's how to make these St Hildegard inspired buttermilk pancakes:
Joyful Spelt Pancakes
Inspired by St. Hildegard of Bingen
Ingredients
- 2 cups buttermilk (or substitute: combine milk with lemon juice and let sit)
- 4 eggs, beaten
- 2 tbsp olive or coconut oil
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups of whole grain spelt flour (plus extra if needed)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp granulated monkfruit, stevia, or other natural, low-glycemic sweetener
- Optional: 1/2 tsp St Hildegard's Defender Dust (recipe coming soon!) for immune support
Directions
- Whisk the wet ingredients together in one bowl and the dry ingredients in another.
- Combine the wet and dry mixtures until just blended. Add extra spelt flour if the batter needs thickening.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat and grease with oil or butter.
- Pour batter onto the skillet to form pancakes of your desired size. Wait for bubbles to form on the surface before flipping. Lower heat if necessary to prevent overcooking the outside while undercooking the inside.
- Serve with butter and syrup (we like elderberry syrup or Lakanto's Monk Fruit Sweetened Maple Syrup) with a pinch of St. Hildegard's Defender Dust sprinkled on top (optional), next to a steaming cup of spelt coffee and relish in the moment. This recipe yields 6-10 medium-sized pancakes.
Indulge in these healthy pancakes, and let St. Hildegard's wisdom guide you to mornings filled with cheer and contentment. Guten Appetit!
Further reading
- Fact vs. Fiction: 7 Myths About St Hildegard von Bingen — historians separate the real Hildegard from the modern polymath legend
- Recipe: St Hildegard's Cold & Flu Powder — another simple remedy drawn from her herbal writings
- 23 Christian Herbalist Books for Home Healers — further reading for anyone building a faith-rooted home apothecary
