One of the first recipes I posted on Created To Be Paleo was our favorite Plantain Pancakes (here). Still a great recipe, but I have continued to tinker, and come up with what I am calling Version 2.0 (and knowing me, there will probably be a 3.0 someday.) They are just enough different that I thought a new post was called for.
I make up a few batches of these one or two mornings a week, and then keep them in the fridge or freezer for an easy breakfast. In fact, I make them so often, I don’t ever even have to reference my little scribbled Hello Kitty paper for the recipe to make them any more. Aurora likes to sit up on the counter and help me make them- she helps peel the plantains and runs the blender, then licks the yummy batter. My kids and husband love them with chocolate chips, but I prefer them with fruit, like strawberries, peaches, or cranberries. (They are pictured above with cranberries- a surprisingly fun combination of sweet and tart that I LOVE.) I love that they don’t require any added sweeteners, and that they are from our favorite ingredient, plantains, which makes them inexpensive, too. And because they don’t have any added sweeteners, they were a nice Whole Life Challenge compliant breakfast (or dinner) treat for me.
I’ve found that as long as you use approximately the same size plantains, it doesn’t really matter too much in terms of the final product- this recipe is very forgiving. And the riper the ripe plantain is, the sweeter the resulting pancakes will be.
- 1 large ripe plantain (anywhere from solid yellow to black- the riper it is the sweeter the pancakes will be)
- 2 large green plantains
- 1/4 C oil
- 1 Tbsp vanilla
- 1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV)
- 1/4 C chia seed meal (ground chia seeds)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1-2 Tbsp water may be needed to make a smooth batter
- Mix-in of choice: chocolate chips, blueberries, sliced strawberries or peaches, cranberries
- Preheat a non-stick griddle or skillet to med-high (about 300)
- Peel the plantains and cut into chunks. Add to a high speed blender along with the oil, vanilla, and ACV. Puree until a smooth batter is formed.
- Add the chia seed meal and baking soda. Blend until well combined. If batter is too thick, you may need to add 1-2 Tbsp water.
- Stir in any mix-ins and spoon by generous spoonfuls onto the preheated griddle. Use the back of the spoon to spread out the batter a bit. (Not too much though, the thicker they are the better they seem to reheat.)
- Turn after a few minutes, when the edges start to look a bit dry. Cook until done, then enjoy!
- Makes 12-15, depending on how large the plantains were.
