Yesterday at the market, I couldn't help but succumb to the seller's yells offering everyone to buy huge bags of bananas at a bargain price. I don't know about markets in other parts of the world, but in The Netherlands they sure know how to conduct business...even at the local markets! They are not shy and their calls are hard to ignore. Especially when they offer you a free pineapple with your strawberries or a bag of bananas which is a little too ripe but surely you can't turn down.
So off I walked yesterday, once again with double of what I had planned on buying. Don't get me wrong though, I'm not complaining. Just like baking gives me that domestic-goddessy feeling in the winter, a kitchen filled with beautiful fruit does the same in the summer. I come home, neatly arrange all my goodies in little bowls and enjoy the way their aromas permeate through the house. Especially rewarding, is presenting a nice bowl of fresh fruit to my family for dessert or thinking up of nice things to make with the fruit.
I'm a bit of a health nut so I'm constantly tinkering with recipes or dreaming up ideas of how to make things a little more healthy. I try to use whole wheat flour in most of my baked goods and I'm known to sneak in fruits and vegetables just about everywhere. Kirstie is a breakfast girl and every weekend she looks forward to something more exciting than her usual spelt flakes. The child loves pancakes, waffles, croissants, eggs, etc., etc., etc., so for today's treat I decided to make her some whole wheat banana pancakes using some of the bananas I had bought at the market yesterday. They came out perfect. Delicately sweet and very light. A delicious way for a little one to start a lazy Sunday morning.
Here's the recipe:
Healthy Girl's Pancakes
*1 egg
*200ml milk
*150g whole wheat flour
*2 very ripe mashed bananas
*2 tsps baking powder
*pinch of salt
*1 tsp coconut extract (optional, but I love the way it seems to bring the sweetness of the bananas to life!)
*knob of butter
*extra fruit to serve and perhaps a drizzle of Golden Syrup
In a bowl, beat milk, egg and extract. In a separate bowl, mash bananas. Add this to milk mix and beat again. Sift flour, baking powder and salt over the wet ingredients and beat a last time. Let stand for five minutes and fry the pancakes in a little butter, 50 ml at a time, and 4-5 minutes per side. Serve warm with fruit and syrup. Enough for 8 pancakes.
8 comments:
I'm a tremendous pancake fan who's growing ever-more health conscious, so it's good to find a recipe I can gobble up guilt-free. Thanks!
Hi Jim,
Well actually you can pretty much substitute whole wheat flour in most recipes, or at least substitute half of the white flour for whole wheat. That makes them that much healthier already! And of course, the addition of fruit. BTW, I don't know if you're into waffles, but if you are, you might like this recipe:
http://inmylife-paola.blogspot.com/2007/03/wafflemania.html
paola
I know the guilty feeling that comes to the market. They all need your business, but your loyal to a few and occasionally to the others. Sigh. What can you do? Eat pancakes!
Paola,
These pancakes look delicious! And to know they're healthy is just the icing on the cake - sorry for the lame pun! ;)
Thanks girls!
I was thinking that maybe some chopped walnuts would also go well with this. Might give that a go next time!
paola
I like to make healthy things too, and these look fab!
Wonderful pancakes! And, much better when made with white flour...
It really is not more unhealthy that way, the bananas and cherries on top provide enough fiber. Trust me, why torture yourself?
I think there is nothing against using white flour, Jurgen! I guess whole wheat flour is something which takes a little getting used to. I love it though!
Paola
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