Hearty Banana Coconut Pancakes

Aaaahhh... breakfast.  I really think it's my favorite meal of the day.  When my brother and I were kids, my mom would sometimes serve us "breakfast for dinner" if my dad was working late (he wasn't a big fan of pancakes and waffles at 6pm).  I LOVED these meals, and still eat breakfast for dinner myself when my husband is working late (sadly, he is also not a fan of the post-meridian breakfast).  Once I switched to a whole foods diet, I missed my beloved pancakes.  I just couldn't figure out how to make them work without using highly processed flour.  Then, I recently found this recipe, which uses oatmeal to lend some heft to rice flour pancakes.  I played around with it a little, adapted some ingredients to better fit my diet, and ... voila!

HEARTY BANANA COCONUT PANCAKES
(adapted from Bob's Red Mill Rice Flour and Oat Pancakes)

Ingredients:

BOWL #1 - 2 large egg whites

BOWL #2 - 1/4 c. ground rice flour
                    2 tsp. baking powder
                    1 tsp. baking soda
                    1 1/2 tsp. organic sucanat* (or other sweetener)
                    1/2 c. unsweetened shredded coconut
                    1 c. oats
                    1/4 tsp. sea salt

BOWL #3 - 1/4 c. melted coconut oil
                    1 3/4 c. milk of your choice (dairy or non-dairy)
                    2 egg yolks
                    1 tbsp. Mexican vanilla

EXTRAS - 1 large banana, thinly sliced (I like to use a slightly overripe banana)
                  coconut oil or olive oil to grease pan
                  100% maple syrup

*Sucanat is an alternative to highly processed sugar that can be used in cooking and baking.  It isn't stripped of valuable vitamins and minerals like regular white sugar, so it's much better for you.  Check here to find out more about sucanat.

1.  BOWL #1:  Use a whisk to beat egg whites until they have a light, foamy consistency.  Set aside.

2.  BOWL #2:  Mix all ingredients with a spoon.  Set aside.

3.  BOWL #3: Use a whisk to whip together all ingredients.

4.  Add contents of bowl #3 to bowl #2.  Mix well, then let stand for 5 minutes.  Fold in half the contents of bowl #1, then fold in the other half.

5.  Pour batter into an oiled, medium hot griddle.  Top with banana slices.

6.  Spoon a small amount of batter on top of each banana slice.  Check pancakes while cooking, and flip when bottom is golden brown.

7.  Serve topped with 100% maple syrup.  Yes, it's much more expensive than the "syrup" with "natural and artificial flavors" you can get in grocery stores, but it's much better for you, and it tastes AMAZING!  : )

***UPDATE:  I just tried something a little different with this recipe, and I loved it:  In Step 4, blend the contents of the two bowls together in a food processor, adding 1/2 - 1 ripe banana.  This makes the pancakes very moist and a little sweeter, and it brings out the banana flavor even more.  I still added bananas to the top of each pancake, too.  ***

Gather Ingredients.

1.  Beat egg whites. Set aside.

2.  (not pictured)  Stir dry ingredients together; set aside.  3.  Whip together wet ingredients.  

4.  Mix contents of bowls #2 and #3.  Let stand 5 min.  Fold in egg whites.

5.  Pour batter into a medium hot pan and top with banana slices.

6.  Spoon a small amount of batter on top of each banana slice.

7.  Serve topped with 100% real maple syrup.

YUM!