Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Rolled Oats

For this recipe I suggest using oat flour compared to other types of flour because it gives your pancakes a light and fluffy feel. Oat flour can be either bought at the grocery store or can be made by simply blending rolled oats to a flour consistency. Whatever you chose to do, make sure that the oats or oat flour you are using only contains 1 ingredient, being rolled oats. A lot of brands like to sneak in other ingredient that don’t have any benefits. And if you are gluten free, check the label to make sure the oats or oat flour is gluten free because not all of them are.

Almond Milk

Almond milk is one of my pantry staples because it is so versatile and comes in many forms. It can be vanilla flavored, unsweetened, sweetened, etc. Whenever I make these banana pancakes, I will always use plain unsweetened almond milk because it is already sweet from the ripe banana and chocolate chips. Although I prefer almond milk, feel free to use whatever works for you. If you are dairy free, any plant-based milk will work perfectly.

Vanilla Extract and Cinnamon

Although these ingredients may seem futile, they are very important and vital to the taste of these banana pancakes. If you are using vanilla flavored almond milk, you can omit the vanilla extract. But if you are using a non-flavored milk, then I highly suggest not skipping out on this ingredient. And the same goes for cinnamon, which add the perfect spice and complements extremely well with the banana. You can also add other spices to the mix based on your preferences. Pumpkin spice and nutmeg are my favorite for the fall.

Ripe Banana

I want to stress the importance of using a ripe banana instead of an unripe one. The riper a banana is, the sweeter it is. And in order to make this recipe as simple and healthy as possible, using a ripe banana gives the same sweetness as sugar but coming from a whole food. You can still make this recipe with an unripe banana, but it might taste a bit bland and you might want to add something to sweeten it up. In order to avoid these extra steps, make sure to use a ripe banana.

Avocado Oil Spray

This has been a gamechanger in the kitchen for me. I had been looking for a canola oil alternative that could be used in sweeter recipes without tasting it. Olive oil has a very distinct taste that doesn’t work at all with banana pancakes. I found out about avocado oil and that they come in a spray can. It works perfectly with sweet and savory recipes and doesn’t leave a strong taste. Also, the fact that it comes in a spray can is very convenient especially when not much is needed.

Dairy Free Chocolate Chips

These are definitely an additional ingredient that makes it feel like such a treat. You can make regular banana pancakes if you want, but who doesn’t love chocolate chips. You can use regular or dairy free chocolate chips. My favorite dairy free chocolate chips are from the brands Enjoy Life and Lily’s. Just make sure to double check that they are dairy free because these brands make both kinds of chocolate chips.

Toppings

This is where you can further customize your breakfast based on what you enjoy eating. I absolutely love keeping it simple with some fruit, nut butter, and organic whole maple syrup. My favorite fruit to use here is blueberries, strawberries, and bananas, but you can use whatever works for you. When it comes to nut butters, make sure to read the label and make sure it has as little ingredients as possible. You can also add some chia or hemp seeds for some extra healthy fats and protein.