Banana Yogurt Pancakes

Banana pancakes aren’t anything new or innovative. I imagine them to be in the same camp as your go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe or the stir fry you make once a week. They are a classic and accepted addition to any breakfast menu. But, like with any template-type recipe, there are numerous ways to spice them up.

These pancakes use whole grain spelt flour, an old favorite of mine. I like it because it’s much more easily adaptable to recipes that use all-purpose or whole wheat flour (as opposed to other alternative flours), and it’s lower in gluten than regular wheat. My belly is happy to receive it. I also think it has a sweeter side than whole wheat; it isn’t as grainy and heavy, rather much lighter and more accommodating to assertive flavors. Any kind of fruit works well with spelt. 

I added some yogurt to the batter as well, in place of milk and other liquid ingredients. It makes them especially puffy and filling, and kind of gives you the feeling that you’ve shoved a complete breakfast into a pancake. Which is great, if you make these on a lazy Sunday morning as I did.

 

BANANA YOGURT PANCAKES :: Serves 4-5

3 ripe bananas
2 eggs
2 T. maple syrup (if you like the batter sweeter, feel free to add more)
1/2 cup whole milk yogurt (or more, if the batter is too thick)
2 cups whole spelt flour
1/4 cup milled golden flaxseed
1 tsp. baking soda
pinch of salt
butter for the griddle
sliced bananas, almonds, and cinnamon, for garnish

- In a blender, puree bananas, eggs, maple syrup and yogurt.

- In a large bowl, combine flour, flax, baking soda and salt.

- Preheat a large griddle or pan over medium flame. Rub with butter.

- Pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients and gently fold together, just until combined. Don’t overwork the batter, as spelt is delicate.

- Cook pancakes by 1/4 cup on preheated griddle, flipping when bubbles form on the surface and the edges are lightly golden. Cook for about 2 minutes on the other side.

- Top with sliced bananas, almonds, cinnamon and more maple syrup.

: :  H A P P Y   S U N D A Y  : :

This month, I'm baking for power

In this month's column, I introduce you to my world of baking without flour and sugar. What?! Blasphemy, you might be thinking. This is tricky terrain, no doubt about it. Don't think that I haven't had my fair share of bitter chocolate cupcakes and unsalvageable cookies by trying to make them more virtuous than they are by nature. This has surely been the case! 

However, I've slowly learned my way around the flour-free kitchen and I have some tricks to share. My reason for bending the baking rules? I love a good breakfast treat. Who doesn't? But when the usual suspects are laden with refined grains and tons of sugar, they don't help us out nutritionally – and that also means mentally, physically and spiritually, if you ask me.

TRICK #1: ALMOND FLOUR.

Elana's Pantry is my go-to resource for all things almond flour, closely followed by Caitlin of Roost. Both of these ladies make do wonderfully on a grain-free diet, and every single recipe is an inspiration. I've learned to really love the texture and flavor almond flour brings to baked goods and pancakes, but I've found in my own kitchen that it works best when used in combination with other flours. Therefore....

TRICK #2: MILLED FLAXSEED.

Flaxseed meal! Who would've thought? I first discovered the magic of flax in these pancakes, where the little pulverized nutritional powerhouses turned into fluffy, cakey goodness on a hot griddle. My guess is that because ground flax absorbs so much liquid and reacts especially well with beaten eggs, there's almost no need for flour at all. Make sure to buy milled flaxseed, rather than just ground flaxseed – the finer consistency will give you more of a flour-like texture. I bought a small coffee grinder just for this purpose, and it makes the perfect flax for baking.

TRICK #3: DATES INSTEAD OF SUGAR.

Don't get me wrong – I love sugar. I just hate what it does to my body and mind. The solution? Dates! Dates are incredible. They are packed with vitamins and minerals, fiber, and a carmely, toasty sweetness that reminds me of brown sugar and molasses. The best way to use them is soaked in warm water, pitted, chopped, and blended in with the liquid ingredients. You could also eat them with a smear of peanut butter. Delish!

These three tricks are what helped me create the following recipe for DATE & ORANGE POWER MUFFINS. You can forget ginormous cafe muffins and sugary pastries that leave you hungry an hour later, because just one of these muffins has a crazy amount of protein, healthy fat, fiber, vitamins, and deliciousness that will keep you satisfied in every sense of the word. Please make these, and don't forget to head on over to the column for more fun tidbits!

DATE & ORANGE POWER MUFFINS :: MAKES 10

1 cup almond flour
1/2 cup flaxseed meal
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. sea salt
6 dates, pitted and chopped
3 eggs
2 Tbsp melted coconut oil or butter
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds (Pepitas)
1 Tbsp chia seeds

• Preheat oven to 350’ and line 10-12 muffin cups with paper liners.
• In a large bowl, mix almond flour, flaxseed meal, baking soda and sea salt.
• In a blender, mix dates, eggs, oil and orange juice on medium speed until smooth.
• Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until thoroughly combined. Fold in sunflower, pumpkin and chia seeds.
• Divide batter among muffin cups and bake for about 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Serve, or let cool completely and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. 

Blueberry Bread

Of all the fruits in the world, blueberries are far and away my favorite. They top my granola, fill my pies, become bubbly and fragrant beneath cobbler crust, leave swirly purple trails in my yogurt, are juicy and plump in my pancakes, and, of course, are baked into moist breads. 

These days, I find them at the market in towering displays that suggest anything but scarcity. With a stroke of luck, I discovered them on sale at Whole Foods last week and scooped them up by the armful. I ate a whole pint in one sitting. 

 

Since I’ve had little time for the weekend morning baking that I love so much, today’s project needed to be something special. My grandmother makes an amazing blueberry cake that she sprinkles with powdered sugar upon completion, and the smell of it baking never fails to remind me of summer and special family gatherings. A breakfast version is what I had in mind as I delicately folded the violet berries into a lighter, whole grain batter this morning. With applesauce and yogurt replacing heavier fats; a mix of brown rice, almond a coconut flours instead of wheat; and medjool dates en lieu of sugar, this bread is virtuous and completely wholesome. 

With my craving for blueberry bread healthfully satisfied, all I need now is a good dose of family. What are your favorite food memories?

Blueberry Bread :: Makes 1 loaf

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups brown rice flour
1/2 cup almond flour
2 Tablespoons coconut flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup vanilla almond milk
2 eggs
3 medjool dates, pitted and chopped
zest of 1 orange
1/2 cup lowfat plain yogurt
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Directions:

1. Preheat oven (see step 5) and line a greased loaf pan with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, combine flours and baking powder. Set aside.
3. In a blender, whir milk, eggs, dates, and zest until frothy. Add yogurt and applesauce and blend to combine.
4. Gently fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Stir in blueberries.
5. Transfer batter evenly into the loaf pan. I baked mine at 325 degrees for well over an hour, but next time I plan to try it at 350 for less time.
6. Once a toothpick comes out with dry crumbs, remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and serve, or allow to come to room temperature and then wrap in parchment. Keep in the refrigerator for a few days. 

Apricot + Coconut Milk Ice Cream

Was it Mark Twain who said the coldest winter he ever spent was a summer in San Francisco? I’m certainly not the first to assert this, nor will I be the last. City dwellers unite in their general disdain for the months of June and July, holding their breath for the glory of September and October, when the leaves turn golden to match the late-to-emerge sun. 

Boots and puffy vests are standard attire for mid-June. Umbrella? Probably. You may even get away with wearing a scarf at some point. 

 

All of this to say, I made some ice cream a few weeks back to remind me that it was, indeed, summer time. Finals were done, I had a bit of a break between activities, and a warm-weather treat seemed appropriate despite the fact that the weather wasn’t really warm. At all. But it did the trick, and at once I felt the carefree, easy-breezy “summerness” of my childhood returning. So while the rest of you are laying by the pool and basking in the best of the season’s sun, I’ll be up here in the city, eating my ice cream, dreaming of warmer days. 

A bit about this ice cream: I don’t have a fancy-shmancy ice cream maker, but of course I didn’t let that stop me from enjoying a homemade frozen treat. It only means that making ice cream is an all-day activity. The trick is to check on it every two hours, breaking up the ice and whisking the mixture so it stays creamy. Your arms will get a workout, but hey, it only means you can get away with eating more.

Apricot + Coconut Milk Ice Cream :: Makes 1 loaf pan

2 cans full-fat coconut milk
1 Tablespoon coconut oil
3 Tablespoons raw honey
6 apricots, pitted and chopped

- Place a large loaf pan in the freezer to chill while you prepare the mixture
- In a blender, puree all ingredients for about 1 minute
- Pour into prepared pan and place back into the freezer (optional: first line the pan with parchment paper, so that you can invert the frozen cream to remove it and slice like a semifreddo) 
- After 45 minutes, remove mixture from freezer and whisk vigorously to break up any ice that has formed; place back into the freezer
- Every 90 to 120 minutes thereafter, remove ice cream from the freezer and whisk to break up the ice and keep it creamy. You may only need to repeat the process twice.
- Once it's completely frozen, allow it to sit on the counter for 5-10 minutes before scooping and serving.

Today, just this

We picked up our first basket of the season's strawberries this morning at the farmer's market, and naturally I couldn't wait to put them to good use. A chocolate smoothie for lunch, laced with a subtle tart-sweet tang from the fresh berries. Enjoy.

Strawberry Chocolate Smoothie :: Serves 2

1 cup nut milk or water

1 Tbsp ground flaxseed

5 Tbsp cacao powder

1 scoop protein powder, optional

1 banana, fresh or frozen

6 fresh strawberries

3 Tbsp coconut cream (from the top of a can of full-fat coconut milk)

- Place all ingredients in a blender, in the order listed. Blend on high speed until completely smooth, then serve.