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My kids have this thing they do where they beg for bananas all the time (“We’ll have them in lunches! We’ll have them for snacks! We’ll dice them into tiny pieces and eat them on our cereal! We’ll eat them all day every day, if only you’ll BUY SOME!”). Almost every time, I cave and buy bananas. Nature’s perfect food, right? What kind of mother denies her children NATURE’S PERFECT FOOD? A week later, I’m tossing browning bananas into whatever I can think of, and eventually into the freezer. I can’t be the only one. Here’s one easy thing you can do with your neglected bananas – Banana Nut Pancakes.
What you’ll need:
2 c flour
1.5 c milk
1 ripe mashed banana
2 tbsp light brown sugar
2 tbsp melted butter
3 tsp baking powder
2 tsp vanilla
3 egg whites, beaten stiff
Topping:
1/4 c candied or pralined almonds, cashews, or pecans
Warm maple syrup
Whipped cream
In a large bowl, mix all dry ingredients & set aside. In a medium bowl, mash the banana well. Add milk, vanilla, and butter & whisk until well combined. Add wet ingredients to dry slowly, making sure to stir very well. Batter will be thick and a bit lumpy, so don’t worry if it isn’t smooth.
Using a stand or hand mixer, beat egg whites until they’re VERY stiff. Add them to the banana batter & gently fold in. The idea is to add airy lightness to the batter – it really helps keep the pancakes from being so heavy. Once combined, heat a griddle or skillet to medium. Mist lightly with cooking spray (Confession time: I grease my griddle with bacon grease. My grandma taught me that way, and it’s just how it’s done. It isn’t super healthy, so I won’t tell you that you have to … but you totally should taste it), and add batter 1/3 c at a time. Heat until small air bubbles form on the surface of the pancake – then you know it’s time to turn it over. When the pancake springs back lightly to a gentle touch in the middle, they’re done.
I usually put a large baking sheet in the oven & turn it on to 200* to keep them warm while I’m cooking them. I also have three teenage boys, so I quadruple this recipe and cook pancakes for upwards of 45 minutes. Hopefully you’re smarter than I am & didn’t have so many kids. Kidding. I love my kids. Mostly.
Enjoy!
