We all love pancakes at home, but until recently, our ‘free from’ American pancakes were on the flat side, to say the least. Enter our delicious, addictive and rather healthy banana pancakes! These babies are easy to make and they also happen to be gluten-free. They contain no refined sugar, eggs or dairy.
We had a lot of bananas on the turn at home on Friday. Since the girls wanted to make pancakes, I decided to use mashed bananas as our egg replacer. We would make banana pancakes covered in chocolate sauce and banana slices.
If you read my monthly family updates, you might remember that Wriggly, my youngest, has a ‘slight’ addiction to bananas. In fact, if they are within her reach, she tends to eat four or five a day at the moment.
I fondly remember my grandad eating several bananas a day when he was working hard in the vines as I was growing up, but surely five bananas in a day would be way too many for a toddler? Enter Google! I found out all sorts of weird and wonderful things about bananas. Here are my favourites.
5 Random Facts About Bananas:
- Bananas can help reduce the risk of getting cramps at night or during workouts (who knew?).
- Bananas are natural mood-enhancers. To an extent, they can help relieve the symptoms of depression, SAD or PMS.
- Eating a banana can help relieve morning sickness (if only I’d known that a few years ago).
- Itchy insect bite? Try rubbing the inside of banana peel on an it (for real?).
- Rub the inside of a banana peel on leather shoes and polish with a dry cloth for a quick shine (sounds like a prank, but will try anyway!).
Sorry, I digress… Right, where was I? It turns out that bananas worked beautifully as an egg replacer in my pancake recipe. The banana pancakes were perfect: light, fluffy and full of flavours. Topping it all with chocolate was a must, and the banana slices added freshness and texture.
We loved them so much we made another batch as soon as Crevette and Beanie came back from school. I was very naughty and had my last two with Nutella and bananas, my favourite pancake topping! Jumpy and Wriggly had Choc Shot chocolate sauce.
I always use flour by The Free From Fairy. Vicki’s “gluten, wheat and rice free flour is a carefully selected blend of wholegrain teff, sorghum and buckwheat with a little tapioca and potato starch, along with raising agents. It provides a source of protein and fibre. It contains no rice (and therefore arsenic).”
If you are struggling to get self-raising gluten-free flour, simply use a cup (130g) of plain gluten-free flour, with a teaspoon and a half of gluten-free baking powder (I use Doves Farm’s).
Bananas are a healthy source of fibre, vitamins (B6, C), potassium and various antioxidants.
Despite the natural sweetness brought in by the mashed banana, I added a couple of tablespoons of maple syrup to our batter. When it comes to unrefined natural sweeteners, maple syrup is one of my favourites. It is high in antioxidants and also contains nutrients like calcium, potassium and zinc. It also contains less calories than honey.
With no further ado, here is the recipe I made three times in the past three days!
Banana Pancakes
These fluffy American Pancakes, or Banana Pancakes, are are full of flavours and easy to make. They are also vegan, gluten-free and free from refined sugar.
Ingredients
- 1 ripe banana
- 1 cup (130g) self-raising gluten-free flour blend (I use the Free From Fairy’s)
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup (190 ml) dairy-free milk of your choice (e.g. coconut milk, soya milk, oat milk, almond milk)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Instructions
Mash the banana on a plate, using a fork. Make sure you do not leave any lumps.
In a large bowl, mix together the ‘free from’ flour, mashed banana, vanilla extract and half of the milk. When the batter is smooth, gradually add in more milk, still whisking. The batter should be thick, but if you fancy a thinner batter, you can add in more milk.
Using kitchen towel, grease the pan with a little sunflower oil. Place the pan on a high heat. When the pan is very hot, pour enough of the mixture with a ladle to form a 10cm circle. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for a minute, until bubbles appear all over the surface of the pancake.
Flip the pancake using a wooden spatula and cook for another minute.
Enjoy warm with chocolate sauce and banana slices.
This month, I have once again teamed up with a team of top UK bloggers to bring you a wide range of ‘free from’ pancake recipes.
Last Monday, Reneé started the party with her Paleo Gluten & Dairy-Free Pancakes.
On Tuesday, Vicki shared two brilliant recipes for Pancakes in a Jar.
On Wednesday, Nath came up with 4-ingredient pancakes that are free from gluten, wheat dairy and eggs.
On Thursday, Emma teased us with her thick, fluffy American pancakes that also happen to be free from gluten and vegan. Check these babies out!
On Friday, Rebecca treated us to a cook along video alongside her recipe for Apple & Cinnamon Pancakes.
Keep an eye on the following blogs for their pancake recipes, which will go live in the week to come:
Nova at ‘Cherished by Me’
Laura at ‘Dairy Free Kids’
Midge at ‘The Peachicks Bakery’
Eb at ‘Easy Peasy Foodie’
Kate at ‘The Gluten Free Alchemist’
On social media, look for #FreeFromPancakes, and if you fancy sharing a photo or recipe with us, use the hashtag!
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it looks so yummmy .thanx for sharing the recipe . will definitely make this some day
My pleasure!
Yum!! I have a Peachick that is addicted to bananas too! There must be something I’m them! The Peachicks would love these, I’ll have to get hubby (who also loves nutella & Banana) to give them ago! Xxx
With Nutella and banana slices, they were to die for!!!
My friend always raves about banana pancakes, have to give them a try sometime!
They’re seriously amazing, especially if like us you’re into the banana and chocolate combo!
Yum, yum, yum! Chocolate and banana is always welcome.a great combination and these are a reallyhealthy choice,
They are so so yummy! We’ve run out of bananas though 🙁
Love these!!! Yum yum yum! Glad you like my flour…and just a quick note on the plain and self raising…adding baking powder to the plain is not as good as the self raising. What can I say? I created the self raising to be the best on the market…and the raising agents are far better than anything you can buy in the UK in baking powder. They are ‘double acting’ meaning there are two acids and one alkali…one of the acids activates when it comes into contact with water and starts to create air bubbles, the other activates with heat upon cooking…leading to more air bubbles and much more rise! There, science less over ;)!
I know your self raising flour is 10x better than replacing it with plain mixed with baking powder, but I gave the other option for people out of the UK who might not be able to get their hands on your fab flour! xxx
How easy do these look to make. Great that everyone can eat them as they are vegan and gluten free too
They are so quick and easy to make it would be a shame not to give them a go!
Oooh these look FAB!! I am totally with you regarding banana pancakes – so good!! And a really simple egg replacer and great for adding that little touch of natural sweetness and all that bananary goodness…my entry into the #FreeFromPancakes challenge will certainly be featuring bananas 🙂 And thanks for all the random banana facts – I love things like that!! Eb x
I love random facts too. When I was researching bananas (as you do!), I found tons of weird and wonderful things. I only kept the most plausible / interesting ones, he he!
I really want to make these. They look so yummy and I love that they’re virtually guilt free!! xxx
Thanks Laura. Let me know what you think when you’ve made them. x
ooh these look yummy. I have been looking for some easy vegan pancakes for Pancake day in a couple of weeks.
I’m glad you like them hun. I have 4 or 5 other gluten-free vegan pancake recipes on the blog if you want something without bananas or a savoury option. Just type ‘pancakes’ or ‘vegan’ in the search bar 🙂
These look so so tasty! I fancy pancakes this morning ! Yummy!
I fancy pancakes every day, ha ha ha!
These look absolutely incredible and as soon as I saw the Nutella, I was in x
Haha, same as me then 🙂
Pancakes are possibly my favourite breakfast of all, and love banana with them.
Me too!
These pancakes sounds and looks amazing and I love that they are gluten free. I had no idea that bananas had all these benefits! I am definetely saving this recipe for later 🙂
Thanks Cecilia. I hope you try making them soon!
I’m dying to try these Mel, I love bananas, I bet they’re divine!
Thanks Laura. They really are scrummy!
Great minds think a like! We have made banana pancakes but without the flour. I love the sweetness that bananas give! x
Me too! Bananas rock! Off to check your recipe now 🙂
Aren’t banana pancakes wonderful? Can always eat a whole pile, especially with chocolate sauce!
LOVE your random banana facts too….. I think I need a couple of bunches. Miss GF was complaining that she thought she had got bitten earlier…… but we’ve run out, so I can’t test the inside of the peel! x
That’s the tip I want to try most. Can you imagine being out with the family and rubbing banana skin all over their insect bites, hahaha!
Oh Mel, these look divine!!! Yum yum yum!! x
Thanks sweetie!