My husband Jeremy has been making me pancakes for breakfast quite regularly on the weekend for years. On Saturday mornings when I get home from the gym he’ll have pancakes waiting for me. His recipe is not necessarily complicated, but it’s not super fast to make which is why pancakes were reserved exclusively for weekends or when we have more time to prep, cook and clean up.

I was recently in Alabama visiting my my sister and her family. One morning my 3 year-old-niece Marley wanted me to make her pancakes. I was tempted to make Jeremy’s recipe, but time was tight and there was lots of commotion as we hurried to get Marley ready for daycare. It dawned on me that I could probably simplify things a bit and create a quick, easy recipe that my niece would like and that my sister could recreate on busy mornings. I took to google as I usually do and came across this stellar recipe from Ambitious Kitchen. I ultimately ended up modifying the recipe but it provided the inspiration I needed. I’ve changed the quantities a bit, made some omissions and additions, but from the get-go these pancakes were a huge hit with my niece. My sister and my mom have both started making this recipe regularly. Jeremy also loves the simplicity of this recipe and he’s been making pancakes more often… even on weekdays!

This super simple recipe is vegan and gluten free. It contains ingredients most of us are likely to have in our kitchens. Bananas, oats, plant-based milk, vanilla, cinnamon, baking powder & salt. That’s it! The bananas give the pancakes some sweetness and the oats take the place of flour. Although you could use quick oats, I recommend using rolled oats as they are higher in protein and fibre. Jeremy and I have played around with different variations of this recipe and have added flax and protein powder with great success.

Just a little disclaimer: these will not be your typical white, fluffy diner style pancakes. They are a bit more dense and not-so-fluffy, but if you are looking for a healthy, yet delicious, and quick alternative, give these a try! Scroll down for the full recipe and be sure to let me know how it goes or if you make any of your own modifications.

BANANA OAT PANCAKES

Makes 6 - 8 small pancakes

Ingredients:

2 ripe bananas, peeled and roughly chopped
1 cup of unsweetened plant-based milk
1 cup of rolled oats (not quick oats)
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 heaping teaspoon of baking powder
A big pinch of sea salt

Directions:

Add the bananas and plant-based milk to a blender and process on high for a minute (or until the bananas are thoroughly blended into the milk). Then add the rest of the ingredients and blend on high speed for a minute or two until the oats are fully processed and you have a nice, even batter consistency. If the batter is too thick you might need to loosen it by adding a bit more plant-based milk.

Warm a non-stick frying pan or griddle on medium-high heat. Lightly coat the surface with a bit of oil. Once the pan is hot pour the batter (in 1/4 - 1/3 cup batches) onto the hot surface directly from the blender or scoop out some batter using a ladle or measuring cup. Make sure the pancakes are relatively thin or they may not cook all the way through. Cook the first side until bubbles form on top (about 4 minutes). Gently lift the edges around the pancake with a spatula and then you should easily be able to flip it. Cook on the other side for 2 - 3 minutes. The pancake should be golden brown on both sides. Clean off the surface of your pan or griddle, if needed. Repeat this process until you’ve used up all the batter.

Enjoy your freshly made pancakes topped with hemp hearts, blueberries, extra banana, maple syrup, nut or seed butter, or other toppings of your choice. We usually eat all our pancakes in one sitting, but they can be refrigerated for 3 - 4 days, or frozen for a month or so.

Notes from the kitchen:
- I’ve never had any trouble with this recipe, however if you your pancakes are too thick or too runny, you may need to increase the plant-based milk or the amount of oats.
- If the pancakes are still “raw” on the inside after cooking them, it could mean that your batter is to thick, or that your pancakes were too thick. Sometimes flattening down the pancakes when they are on the skillet or in the pan can help with this.
-A hot non-stick surface is the key to perfect pancakes. You’ll want to warm the pan/skillet for a few minutes before adding your batter.

If you enjoyed the recipe I shared above be sure to check out my Plant-Based Breakthrough program, which is a crash course in plant-based health, nutrition, and meal planning. For details about the program click here. You can also join the Plant-Based Breakthrough Community on Facebook where I share recipes, inspiration, and information on plant-based nutrition.