Flourless Banana Pancakes

This weekend I had a craving for pancakes. I don't crave them often, which is why I recently tossed out an old container of pancake mix. Oops.

Luckily, I had just seen a recipe for 2-ingredient banana pancakes. I was skeptical. Could these really be good? As it turns out, they were.

Notes: This batter is thin, so you'll have thin pancakes. This recipe made 6 small pancakes, so if you need to feed more people, definitely double the recipe.

I think I would have liked the batter and the pancakes a little thicker. Next time I'll either add another banana or add in some oats.

The texture on these is a bit spongy---not in a bad way. They're closer to crepes than regular pancakes, so just be aware of that.

Ingredients:
1 ripe banana
2 eggs
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon
Butter (for cooking)
Syrup or honey (for serving)

Directions:

Beat the eggs in a bowl. Add in pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon. Mash up the banana with the beaten eggs and stir until combined. The batter will be lumpy, but fully incorporated.

Heat a large skillet or griddle just below high heat. Put a small pat of butter in the pan and coat the bottom. Wipe out excess with a paper towel (watch your fingers). Using a 1/4 cup measure, spoon batter into the pan. When the edges of the pancake start to look dry, flip and cook for another 30 seconds-1 minute. Repeat until the batter is used up.

Serve with syrup or honey and enjoy!

Cornmeal Pancakes

Scott and I are celebrating finals weekend at the French Open. Because of the time delay, the matches are on in the morning. What better way to celebrate than with a championship breakfast?

Notes: These pancakes are drier and heartier than you might be used to, so just be prepared for that. As you might recall, Scott and I disagree about the roll of fruit in pancakes. As such, my pancakes had blueberries in them and his were plain. They were both delicious.

Normally, I am terrible at flipping pancakes, but for some reason I was able to get through the whole batch without messing up any. This is a first in my cooking career!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup + 3 tablespoons of finely ground cornmeal
1/2 cup of "instant" pancake mix (recipe here)
1 cup milk
1 egg
2 tablespoons butter (plus more for the skillet)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Fruit of your choice (optional)

Directions:

Start by melting the two tablespoons of butter. I just zap mine for about 25 seconds in the microwave.

Add the cornmeal, cinnamon, and pancake mix to the bowl and stir to combine. Crack the egg into another bowl and beat it slightly. Add both the egg and the milk to the dry ingredients. Stir to combine and then stir in the melted butter.

Heat your skillet or griddle on medium-high. Once it's hot, add a tablespoon of butter and swirl it around to coat the bottom of the skillet. When it finishes bubbling, wipe the butter out of the skillet. Use a ladle or a measuring cup to add the batter to the pan. If you're adding fruit, drop it on top of the pancake now.

When the batter starts to look dry around the edge of the pancake and bubbles start to form and burst on the top, flip the pancake over. Let it brown on the other side for about 30-45 seconds.

Serve hot and enjoy!

Chia Oat Pancakes with Pistachio Honey Butter

Cooking breakfast for people might be my favorite way to entertain. There's nothing like enjoying a relaxing morning with a hearty breakfast and a cup (or four) of coffee.

Notes: Pancakes are delicious, but can run out on you energy-wise. But mix some oats in the flour and you'll have something a bit more substantial.

I have joined the chia bandwagon. Why, yes, I do mean the seeds that you use to grow those humorous grassy pets. It turns out chia seeds are a superfood: they have tons of calcium, iron, zinc, and potassium. That's a lot of vitamins! They don't really taste like anything and you can add them to anything you make. I put them in my museli in the morning.

My BFF who was enjoying pancakes with me has never been a fan of maple syrup. I decided to whip up the honey butter as a topping replacement.


Ingredients:
Pancakes (makes about 10 pancakes):
3/4 cup quick oats
3/4 cup of "instant" pancake mix (recipe here)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 egg
1 cup of milk
2 tablespoons butter plus more for the pan

Pistachio Honey Butter:
2 tablespoons of butter
1 tablespoon crushed pistachios
1/2 tablespoon honey

Directions: Melt the two tablespoons of butter for the pancakes and allow it to cool completely. Mix it with the milk and beaten egg in one bowl. Add the pancake mix, oats, chia seeds, and cinnamon in another bowl. Mix the wet ingredients with the dry. 

Heat a skillet and rub it with butter. Wipe the excess butter off. Ladle the batter into the pan. When large bubbles rise to the surface and burst, flip the pancake over. Cook for about 30 more seconds. 

For the pistachio butter, allow two tablespoons of butter to soften. Mix crushed pistachios, honey, and butter together in small bowl. 

Photograph by Shelly!

Serve and enjoy!

Pomegranate Pancakes

My husband and I see eye-to-eye on most things, but pancakes is not one of them.

I am pro fruit and he is anti-fruit.

If you ask me, adding bits of fruit inside of pancakes is just about the only thing that can make them better than they already are. Blueberry pancakes? Please! Apple pancakes? Don't mind if I do. Banana pancakes? Bring me a dozen, garcon!

If you ask my husband, fruit should be safely on the outside of the pancake. Perhaps in a bowl as a refreshing side, but it could be all the way on the other side of the room for all he cares. As long as it's not in his pancakes.

I believe his views are backward at best and he believes that he should be able to enjoy his fruitless pancakes in peace (without my commentary). It's an impasse. But since he does not currently live with me, I can make all the fruit pancakes I want. So there!

Notes: I experimented with two different ways of adding in the fruit: one where I add the fruit to each pancake after it was in the pan and one where I mixed the fruit with the batter. I preferred the former method. The pancakes were less doughy around the bits of fruit. If you have a favorite way of adding fruit, by all means I'm open to suggestions.

Hear me when I say that you do not want to skip the cinnamon. I learned this trick from my brother-in-law. You don't actually taste the cinnamon, but you can tell the pancake has a deeper and more interesting flavor. Everyone will wonder why your pancakes taste so much better than the ones they make at home. It will be our secret.

Now, here's the thing: I suck at making pancakes. I wish I was kidding, but when I make them, I almost always have to throw out the first two and probably one in the middle. They don't come out right! They're too light or I can't manage to flip them correctly. So, if you screw up a few, you're not alone. This batch will make enough for two people, unless you're like me and then it's enough for three correct pancakes and three jacked-up pancakes. 

Ingredients:
1 cup of "instant" pancake mix (recipe follows)
1 egg
2 tablespoons of melted butter, plus more non-melted butter for the pan
1 cup of milk
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/4 cup of pomegranate seeds (or as much as you like in your pancakes)

Directions:

First of all, melt your two tablespoons of butter. You'll want it to cool off before you make the mix. I just heat mine in the microwave for about 30 seconds.

Crack your egg into a mixing bowl and beat it just slightly. Add in your milk. Once your melted butter is cool, add it in and whisk the liquids together. Add in the dry mix and the cinnamon. Whisk it all together until most of the lumps are gone, but don't fret about getting it perfect.

Heat your skillet. You want it on medium-high: not hot enough to where the pancakes brown too quickly, but hot enough so that the pancakes don't spread too much. Once it's hot, take a pat of butter in a paper towel and coat the bottom of the skillet. Then use another paper towel to wipe out the excess butter (this is key to getting the nice even brown).

Use a ladle to add the batter to the pan. You know it's time to flip the pancake when big bubbles rise to the top and start to burst. The edges of the pancakes will also start to look a little dry. Sprinkle pomegranate seeds on top of the batter and then flip it over. Cook for another 30 seconds or so until the pancake puffs up a bit. Repeat until your have reached your desired number of pancakes.

This is technically bottom side up, but I wanted you to see the pomegranate seeds.

Add your favorite pancake topping and enjoy!

"Instant" Pancake Mix

You can make about 3 batches of pancakes with this. It's adapted from Alton Brown's recipe and his makes WAY more. So if you have room to keep a big batch, use his measurements.

 

3 cups spelt flour 

3/4 teaspoon baking soda 

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 tablespoon kosher salt

Mix all the ingredients and store in an airtight container.