Last Sunday I began the day with a super powered green smoothie. Because we all need a little balance in our lives, I decided this Sunday I would kick off the new week with my favolicious gluten-free banana teff pancakes. Banana pancakes are an all time favourite from when I was young and my family would go on our annual holiday to Jamaica. A breakfast treat would be fried banana fritters with fresh grated coconut. We would be so stuffed afterwards that all we could do the rest of the day was lay about lie sloths on various surfaces- hammocks, beach chairs, rafts, sand…
But alas- I have learned the error in my ways and know that the food we eat should make us feel alive, rather than put us into a food coma. Banana pancakes remain a weekend treat but I have gone ahead and healthified them- using teff flour, apple sauce instead of oil, almond milk, free run eggs and my own ground teff.
Teff is a great wheat alternative and traditionally grown in Ethiopia as a cereal crop where it is ground into flour, fermented for three days then made into enjera, their traditional sourdough type flat bread. Added bonus, aside from it being a gluten-free grain is that it is especially high in lysine, the amino acid that is most often deficient in grain foods. Teff is also an excellent source of fiber and iron, and has many times the amount of calcium, potassium and other essential minerals found in an equal amount of other grains.
I have not ventured as far as making the fermented enjera, but it is really only a matter of time. For now- I’ll stick with my banana pancakes with a dollop of my homemade strawberry butter and my own freshly grated coconut.
Gluten-Free Banana Teff Pancakes
1/4 cup teff flour (or teff grain, ground in a Magic Bullet or Coffee Grinder)
2 Tbs ground flaxseed
2 eggs
1-2 bananas mashed
1/4 cup apple sauce
1/4 cup organic honey
pinch of salt
almond milk (or rice milk, or just plan water) until desired consistency is reached
1 Tbs coconut oil for frying
- Heat skillet to medium heat and allow oil to melt in pan
- Using a 1/4 cup measure, scoop pancake batter into the pan
- Allow to cook on medium heat slowly. When bubbles start to appear, and top surface looks dry, fliparoo!
- Allow second side to cook slowly on medium heat
- Cut one open to make sure cooked through
- Serve with your favourite topping. I am a big fan of the maple syrup and coconut- though if the strawberry butter is around that is THE BEST!
Happy new moon Sunday! And there is only one song that goes with a banana pancake morning.
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Love banana pancakes and love me some Jack too! Do you think chia or flax gel would work as an egg sub for this delicious recipe?
These sound amazing! I bet my picky boys would even like them, now to hunt down some teff flour!
oh..these look lovely! I second the question regarding the egg replacement?
and thanx so much for this very interesting info regarding the teff! I have known about these enjeras since here in Israel there is a large ethiopan community,and I was intrigued about it,but never got the chance yet to try..now Im even more intrigued after learning from you how nutritious they are!Thank you so much!
(FYI I emailed you, just letting you know in the case my email is being a spaz again!)
You are making me hungry! I have heard good things about teff flour lately, will have to look into it.
Lol, I had pancakes for breakfast this morning too. Hubby made them while I was still sleeping and brought them to me in bed. Traditional pancakes with real maple syrup and fresh *local* strawberries. They were wonderful, but after your comments on my cleanse experience, I was wondering how to do gluten-free pancakes. It’s like you’re reading my wee little mind. Thanks so much. Now I just have to figure out where the heck I’m going to get teff. I already have everything else else in my kitchen.
I love green smoothies! A great way to start the day!
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These were absolutley delightful!! They were so nice. And I love banana’s in pancakes or muffins. You have covered this well for me!
I am so proud that I was able to make not just pancakes, but HEALTHY pancakes from scratch. No shake shake bottle for me anymore!!
Mmm, I have all the ingredients to make these. Thanks Meghan! PS – No strawberry butter around here, but it’s berry season now. I should make some as that sounds divine!
It’s even better than it sounds!
It doesn’t really have to be teff flour- any gluten free flour will work perfectly well- brown rice, quinoa, buckwheat, sorghum etc.