Buckwheat Banana Pancakes (gluten free)

I think that buckwheat is such a nourishing way to start the day. It's like oatmeal in that it satisfies you without weighing you down or causing sugar crashes at 10am. The problem is that buckwheat pancakes tend to be dry, and then if they sit around for more than a minute, they tend to harden into hockey pucks. While this can mean that you have extra hockey pucks, I prefer making breakfasts that are delicious and do not have to double as sporting equipment.

The bananas in this pancake recipe are the secret weapon. You smash them until there are no large lumps and the banana flavor melds with the buckwheat it such a way that you almost cannot taste the banana. The result is light and moist buckwheat pancakes. These pancakes are just different enough to be exciting, but"normal" enough not to scare off then kids. They've got nutty flavor from the buckwheat flour, sweetness from the banana, and a hint of tang from the buttermilk. These are our current favorite way to use mushy bananas.

Note about Buckwheat: Since buckwheat can make baked goods dry, you want these pancakes to be on the thinner (wetter) side . If your batter looks dry (this will depend on the amount of banana you add), add a few more tablespoons of buttermilk.

Note about Buttermilk: Don't have buttermilk? Combine a scant 3/4 cup milk with the juice of half a lemon and allow to curdle, it's not as good as the real thing, but it works in a pinch.

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Buckwheat-Banana Pancakes

Serves 3 hungry kids. Makes 14 3-4 inch pancakes. Recipe easily doubles. Prep time 5 minutes.

Ingredients

2 small or 1 large overripe bananas (about 1/2 cup) I often use frozen bananas and thaw them in the microwave. This actually makes them easier to mash.

1 tablespoon melted butter (plus extra for greasing your pan)

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup buttermilk

3/4 cup buckwheat flour

2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

Step One

Melt your butter in the microwave and add it to a medium sized mixing bowl. Measure out your banana and then add it to the butter and mash them together until banana is in small pieces. Next, add egg, vanilla, and buttermilk to the banana-butter mixture and stir to combine. Set wet ingredients to the side.

Step Two

In another medium mixing bowl, mix together your dry ingredients: buckwheat flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt. Then pour your wet ingredients over your dry ingredients. Stir to combine.

Step Three

Preheat a skillet pan or griddle over medium heat. Add about 1-2 teaspoons of butter and make sure it coats the whole pan. When the butter is sizzling and hot reduce the heat to medium-low and pour batter to create your preferred sized pancakes. Cook pancakes until air bubbles start to form in the batter (about 2 minutes) then flip the pancakes and cook the other side until pancake looks slightly browned and cooked through on both side. If pancakes are darkening before they cooked through, reduce the heat.

Serve pancakes with maple syrup, toasted pecans or other preferred toppings.