There is nothing I love more than a hearty breakfast on Sunday morning. It just gives me such a great start to my day of “self-care” or the to-do-list as I prepare for my work week ahead.
While I had my laundry going, I pulled out the blender and decided to make some super easy pancakes. I always have ripe bananas in the kitchen for a multitude of reasons. I add them to so many recipes including banana bread, protein shakes and muffins for snacking. Today, instead of just making oatmeal and topping with sliced banana, I opted for making pancakes which is one of my absolute favorite breakfast meals.
Bananas are such a wonderful fruit that is packed with nutrients; I think of banana as a small item with big benefits. Firstly, it has such natural sweetness that it can be used in a variety of savory and sweet dishes without adding sugar. A medium sized banana (~100g) provides 89kcals of energy, ~25g of Carbohydrates, 3g of Fiber and 27g of Magnesium.
Perhaps the mineral that is most commonly associated with banana is Potassium. Without this key nutrient, the heart muscles will not contract properly to pump blood throughout the rest of the body. Potassium is also essential to maintaining fluid balance, which may lead to dehydration if depleted, affecting the kidney function.
Below are the other ingredients you will need for the recipe:
INGREDIENTS
Oats or oat flour
Banana
Eggs
Milk (regular of plant based)
Baking powder
Cinnamon or Nutmeg
Vanilla or Almond Extract
Maple Syrup or Honey
Favorite toppings (Fruit, nuts, whipped cream etc.)
Tips for homemade Oat flour
I don’t believe I have ever needed to purchase oat flour but I know it is readily available in most grocery stores. If you are someone who does not bake often then I suggest just making your own oat flour at home.
The first item you will need to make the oat flour is a clean and dry blender or food processor. Add your oats to the blender and pulse until you have your desired texture. I like my oatmeal pancakes with a little texture but feel free to blend for a real fine consistency similar to flour.
Note: While Oats are a naturally “gluten free food”, please read carefully your packaging or container for the oats as they may have been in contact with non gluten items such as wheat, barley or rye. Always consult with a Registered Dietitian for any questions on “gluten free” foods.
How to Make Oat Flour Pancakes
To begin making the batter use a whisk to combine the oat flour, cinnamon and baking powder in a large bowl. Next mix the egg, milk, vanilla extract and banana in a separate bowl until smooth. Once you add the wet ingredients into the dry oat flour mixture allow the batter some time to rest. This will help you to achieve a lighter pancake batter since you are not using buttermilk in this recipe.
Tips for making this recipe a family favorite:
- Make the batter ahead for a weekday morning when you need a heartier meal
- Set up a toppings bar with fresh fruit, honey or maple syrup, chopped nuts, peanut butter or whipped cream
- If you need more protein, try adding a scoop of good quality protein powder or adding breakfast sausage or scrambled eggs as a side dish
Easy “Oat” Flour Pancakes
Ingredients
Instructions
- Combine the oat flour, baking powder, cinnamon in a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, mix the egg, milk, vanilla and banana until a smooth consistency is achieved.
- Add the wet ingredients to the bowl with the oat flour mixture. Use a spatula to gently combine but do not overmix. Let the pancake batter sit for ~8-10 minutes.
- Heat a cast iron skillet or griddle to medium. To make sure your surface is not too hot, add a small drop of water to the griddle and see how quickly it evaporates. Spray with cooking spray or spread butter all over the surface until melted but not burning.
- Use a 1/3c measuring tool to drop pancake batter unto the griddle. Once the batter touches the surface it is important that you do not touch or try to flip until the edges are cooked. Flip gently at this point and cook on the other side for another 2-3 minutes.
- Remove pancakes carefully from the skillet. Stack on your plate and top with fruit, syrup or whipped cream. Enjoy!!
Notes
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 2 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 408 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 9.3g | 12% |
| Saturated Fat 3.3g | 17% |
| Cholesterol 92mg | 31% |
| Sodium 90mg | 4% |
| Total Carbohydrate 65.7g | 24% |
| Dietary Fiber 7.7g | 27% |
| Total Sugars 16.1g | |
| Protein 16.1g | |
| Vitamin D 8mcg | 42% |
| Calcium 265mg | 20% |
| Iron 4mg | 22% |
| Potassium 524mg | 11% |