Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. I always look forward to it, even if it’s just a bowl of cereal or a slice of peanut butter toast.  But the best breakfast? Pancakes. Obviously.

When I was little my Dad used to make me his famous pancakes; they were the size of a skillet pan, thin, and yet incredibly fluffy. I remember drenching them with rich maple syrup and devouring it in pure bliss. Every single bite would melt in my mouth. I loved waking up to those.

These days I eat breakfast for dinner about twice a week because really, who wouldn’t want to end their day with pancakes? Plus, I love to having fun with flavor combinations! Whole Wheat Banana Quinoa. Lemon Blueberry. Blueberry Chocolate Chip. Pumpkin Chocolate Chip. And now these.

Yeahhh pancakes… I’m just a teeny bit obsessed. 

Since I’m trying to eat healthy while still enjoying my favorite breakfast, I’d thought that I would create a pancake recipe that’s tastes just like banana bread… because in case you hadn’t noticed, smashing bananas in baked goods is kinda my jam.

And besides putting hearty amounts of love into this recipe, I wanted these to be good for you, without sacrificing that amazing pancake taste.

These are naturally sweetened with the sugars from the ripe banana, which also helps bind the pancake together since they are vegan. The oats provide a fluffy texture with that delicious oatmeal flavor. I also only added a few chocolate chips to each pancake to give them a bit of an indulgent taste.

I think Dad would be proud. Although I don’t think he would know what a vegan or gluten-free diet consists of.

Even if you’re not gluten-free or vegan, I think you’ll find these pancakes incredible. Plus the batter can be made in a blender. Seriously, how quick and easy is that?! I whipped mine up in less than 10 minutes and barely had any mess to clean up when I was finished.

It’s basically like having a bowl of oatmeal in the morning. And I am not one to refuse oatmeal in pancake form. You shouldn’t fight it either.

Just devour!

Also, if you’ve been affected by Hurricane Sandy, know that my thoughts and prayers are with you. xoxo

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Banana Pancakes {healthy, vegan + gluten-free}

 

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Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

5 mins

Total time

10 mins

 

Easy banana pancakes that taste indulgent but are secretly healthy.

Author: Monique of AmbitiousKitchen.com

Recipe type: Breakfast, Pancake

Serves: 9 pancakes

Ingredients

• 1 cup old-fashioned oats (gluten-free)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 ripe medium bananas, cut into chunks
• 3/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• About 50-60 (2 tablespoons) chocolate chips, vegan if you prefer

Instructions

1. In a blender, add chunks of banana and almond milk. Puree for 30 seconds or until throughly blended and smooth. Next add oats, baking powder, and salt into the blender; blend again until batter is well-combined about 1 minute. Set aside to thicken up. After a few minutes check the consistency of the pancake batter it should be somewhat thick. If they appear to too thick, add a tablespoon or two of almond milk and blend again.
2. Lightly coat a large nonstick skillet or griddle with vegan cooking spray or olive oil and heat over medium. Drop batter by 1/4 cup onto skillet and gently spread out a bit with a spoon. Place 5-6 chocolate chips on top of each pancake and cook until bubbles appear on top, about 2 minutes. Gently flip cakes and cook until golden brown on underside, 2 minutes. Wipe skillet clean and repeat with more oil or cooking spray. Top with peanut butter, maple syrup, fruit, or chocolate chips.

Notes

These pancakes can be frozen, simply reheat in the microwave for 30 seconds-1 minute.

Nutrition Information

Serving size: 3 pancakes Calories: 220 Fat: 5.2g Saturated fat: 1.9g Carbohydrates: 41.8g Sugar: 13.9g Fiber: 5.3g Protein: 5.0g

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