Chocolate Banana Protein Pancakes with Maple-Peanut Butter Sauce (gluten free)

Lawd have mercy!

It’s been a long time. A long, long time. Suffice it to say that I’ve been very busy and that I never thought I’d find myself writing another post, certainly not now anyway. Since I last wrote, I’ve moved to central NY, taken a job at a farm animal sanctuary where on a daily basis, I care for about 600 rescued cows, chickens, pigs, turkeys, goats, sheep, and waterfowl–animals who have suffered tremendous agonies and have been lucky enough to end up in the safest place possible. And yet, they make up only a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of those who will never know the things we all want and need regardless of our species: to be respected, to be loved unconditionally, and to feel safe. It’s been quite the experience.

I have had very little emotional, spacial, or physical time to even think of devoting time to making up new recipes, let alone blogging about them. In fact, even though it’s my day off, I’m procrastinating doing something (many things!) that is much more pressing. Still, I felt compelled to share this recipe as a few people have asked for it and, if I’m going to write it all out, I might as well blog it and share it with everyone, right?

My way of eating has significantly changed from the recipes on this blog in two ways. First, I haven’t baked anything in over a year. My idea of “comfort food” these days consists of a variety of fresh vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, and whole grains like millet, teff, buckwheat, kaniwa, farro, and the like. When I say variety, I mean variety. I’m also more conscious of the nutrient density of my food choices thanks to having a very physical job and having taken up CrossFit both which require a more balanced and dense nutrient profile in order to achieve my physical, daily and long term goals. The absence of alcohol and processed foods (even packaged foods with more than 5 ingredients) is the second way in which my diet has changed.

None of this isn’t to say that I don’t indulge in a huge bowl of pasta, a piece of cake, or a vegan milkshake every now and then, obviously. But I much prefer to indulge in more thoughtful ways–like these pancakes which are both good for you and decadent. Sure, they sound more like dessert, but having these for breakfast is like being a teenager left alone in the house while your parents are away for a few days. They remind me a lot of Reese’s or Justin’s (vegan!) peanut butter cups so, if you’re a big fan of those, you’ll definitely like these.

Oh, and next time someone asks you where you get your protein from for the 437, 445, 273, 540, 987, 678, 123 time, just direct them here. Enjoy!

If you’d like to see what I’ve been up to this past year and a half  (and see pictures of some of the incredible animals I care for and the yummy things I’ve been eating, you can follow me on Instagram: @Melodyem).

Ingredients:
(Serves 1, about 6-7 pancakes)

1/4 cup buckwheat flour
1/2 scoop (about 0.6 oz) vegan vanilla protein powder (I used Vega’s Performance Protein)
2 tbsp unsweetened baking cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2/3 cup non-dairy milk (I used unsweetened almond milk)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp coconut oil (or you can substitute canola oil)
1 medium ripe banana sliced into 1/2 ” thick rounds
2 tbsp coconut oil, divided or canola oil spray for greasing the pan

For the peanut butter sauce:

2 tbsp powdered peanut butter
2 tbsp almond milk
1- 2 tsp pure maple syrup

Directions:

For the pancakes, combine and whisk together all the dry ingredients in a medium sized bowl (flour through cinnamon). In a small bowl, combine and quickly whisk the milk, vanilla extract, and oil. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix well, being careful not to over mix the batter–a few lumps are okay. If the batter is too dry or too thick, add a tablespoon or two of milk at a time until a thick, but easily pourable consistency is reached (think: the consistency of yogurt). Melt a little of  the coconut oil in a non-stick pan or griddle on medium heat. I find it much easier to use a spray for this since you’ll have to be oiling the pan before each new pancake goes in. Add a quarter cup of batter to the pan, allowing the batter to spread evenly. Add a few banana slices on top of the pancake. Flip once bubbles have formed and popped (about 2 minutes per side). Before cooking another pancake, make sure to lightly oil the pan again. If the pan gets too hot (and the oil starts to sizzle) let it cool before proceeding and then lower the heat before continuing the process.

For the sauce, combine all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk with a fork. Once pancakes are ready, use a fork to drizzle sauce on top of pancakes. There’s no need to add additional maple syrup because the bananas make the pancakes sweet enough! Serve and enjoy!

Getting really buff doesn’t have to be boring!