Raising a Foodie: Banana Pecan Pancakes

Growing up every Saturday either my sister or I helped my mom make buttermilk pancakes. Weekends, for me, mean pancake breakfasts. However, when you can't have cow's milk, pancakes often fall short of one's expectations. That is until Gates discovered the perfect non-dairy banana pancake recipe.
 

 

How do you like your pancakes?
 

Light, fluffy dairy-free pancakes are a rarity. So much so, that I'd given up hope. (I'd even written a post that was and wasn't about pancakes, about how social media is setting our children up with unrealistic expectations.) Content to satisfy my pancake craving with mixes, I'd stopped trying to make them from scratch. And then, Gates decided she'd give it a try. Or rather, she wanted a mystery box/pressure cooker challenge similar to the ones she'd seen on Master Chef Junior.
 

Never one to back away from a challenge, I looked around our flat. We hadn't yet received our CSA box for the week so the pickings were a little slim until I saw the ripe bananas sitting on our counter. Gates' challenge? Make pancakes using bananas.
 

 

Gates was sure she needed flour, but beyond that needed a little guidance. Unsure how much liquid we'd need with the bananas, we turned to Pinterest. Our first hit looked delicious, but was a little suspicious: pancakes with just two ingredients - bananas and eggs. Gates looked skeptical and I agreed the results were dubious. But what better way to teach Gates the importance of ratios and of using recipes as guides rather than law. And so we began.
 

 

Ingredients (makes about 8 3-inch diameter pancakes)

• 2 to 3 medium Bananas, ripe
• 4 medium Eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1/2 cup Flour, divided*
• (Optional) 1/2 cup Pecans, finely chopped
• 2 to 3 Tablespoons Bacon grease
 

*Depending on how much of the bananas your little one samples, you may need more or less flour. Pancakes made with 2 ripe bananas and the rest of the ingredients as is yield a lighter pancake than a recipe made with 2 and a half bananas or all 3 ripe bananas. Also if you've let your smashed bananas sit for awhile, you'll want to discard any liquid and just use the mashed banana.
 

 

A great way to contain your pecans as they get chopped is to put your cutting board into a sheet pan. Place the sheet pan on top of a square or rectangle of Duck Brand Select Grip Non-Adhesive Shelf Liner(*affiliate link) to keep it from sliding across your table or counter. Gates used a Joie Fruit And Vegetable Wavy Chopper Knife Stainless Steel Blade(*affiliate link) to chop up the pecans. It gives her more control as she can use two hands to chop.
 

Instructions (approximately 15 to 20 minutes)

This recipe is perfect if you're starving and want (NEED) food now. Remember that if you're working with a toddler, smashing the bananas and chopping the pecans may take a little longer than 5 to 10 minutes. One morning she did all the work and it was roughly 30 minutes before we were eating pancakes. Another morning, she directed her sous chef and we were eating pancakes in under 20 minutes. Cooking the pancakes on a skillet takes about 10 minutes, 4 minutes a batch if you're using a Square Griddle Pan, 11-inch(*affiliate link).
 

1. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees and place either a sheet pan or cookie sheet on the middle rack.
2. Smash your bananas in a medium bowl.
3. Add your eggs and vanilla to the bananas. Stir until blended.
4. Add your salt and baking powder. Stir until blended.
5. Add a 1/4 cup of flour. Stir until blended.
6. If the consistency of your pancake mixture is still soupy, add half of the remaining flour. Stir until blended.
7. Repeat the step above with the remaining flour if your pancake mixture is still soupy. You want the mixture to slowly slid off your spoon.
8. If you're making your pancakes with pecans, now is the time to add them.
9. Heat Square Griddle Pan, 11-inch(*affiliate link) over medium-high heat.
10. When your pan is warm, melt 2 teaspoons of bacon grease.
11. When your bacon grease is melted and bubbling, drop 4 1/4 cup portions of batter onto your pan.
12. Watch your batter until you see fewer bubbles forming and an edge to the batter has formed. Check to see if the pancake easily slides.
13. To flip your pancake, use a spatula with a thin edge (I have one similar to this OXO Good Grips Silicone Flexible Pancake Turner(*affiliate link).) I use two. One to hold the pancake, as I use the other to get my spatula under the pancake.
14. When your pancakes are golden brown, transfer them to the oven to keep warm.
 

 

What's your favorite breakfast food?
 

Credits: All layouts designed by and images taken by Eden Hensley Silverstein for The Road to the Good Life.

DISCLOSURE: This post contains affiliate links, followed by (*affiliate link). I feature products that I own or that I am considering purchasing. I own all but one of the products mentioned in this post. The spatula I own was discontinued. All opinions presented are my own.
 
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