I’ve had a lot of requests for alternative pancakes lately, so I’ve been experimenting with different techniques. The following recipe is both gluten-free and vegan, and extra-high in protein thanks to the almond flour. It also has quite a different texture than my normal pancakes: I personally love the moist, chewy interior and hearty consistency, but if your expecting a light and fluffy pancake this is not for you.
Some tips: don’t omit the chia seeds here, they help bind the batter together in the absence of egg (plus they’re a super food and add lots of vitamins and nutrients). Also, allowing the batter to rest 15-30 minutes before imperative to obtain the correct consistency, so don’t skip that step.
Interested in a gluten-free but-not-vegan version? Try my buckwheat pancake recipe here. If you’re looking for the gluten-and-dairy filled, traditional variety, here are some of my favorites:
Banana-almond pancakes
adapted from a recipe by Deliciously Ella
- 1 cup (100 g) rolled oats
- 1 cup (80 g) ground almonds
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 very ripe bananas, mashed
- 3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon (200 ml) almond milk
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey, plus more for serving
- vegetable or coconut oil, for cooking
- fresh strawberry slices, or other fresh fruit, for serving
Makes 6-8 small pancakes
Place the oats into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until they are ground into a flour. Transfer to a mixing bowl and add the ground almonds, cinnamon, salt, chia seeds and baking powder; mix well.
In a separate bowl, mash the bananas and add almond milk, lemon juice and maple syrup. Pour into the dry ingredients and mix well. Set batter aside to rest for 15-30 minutes, until it thickens up a bit.
Heat a heavy, nonstick frying pan over medium-low heat and add a tablespoon of vegetable or coconut oil. Wipe out excess oil with a paper towel. Add a heaping tablespoonful of pancake batter to the pan (you don’t want to make these pancakes too big or they will be difficult to flip, try for a diameter of about 4 inches/10 cm each). Cover the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the pancake begins to solidify. It will be a bit tricky to flip, so move it around a bit with the spatula first to make sure it isn’t stuck to the pan, then flip carefully but quickly. Cook, uncovered for another 2-3 minutes, until nicely browned on both sides. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining batter.
Top with fresh fruit slices and maple syrup and serve warm.
