Cutting sugar from a pancake recipe does not have to mean cutting the flavour. This version relies on a ripe banana for natural sweetness and blended oats in place of flour, producing a batter that is both simple to prepare and free of any refined sugar. The riper the banana, the sweeter the result.
A batter made in one step
The whole mixture comes together in a blender. Oats are blitzed first until they form a fine flour, then the banana, eggs, milk and the remaining ingredients are added and blended together until smooth and slightly thick. For a lighter version, one whole egg can be used alongside a single egg white instead of two whole eggs, and a sugar-free almond or oat drink can replace regular milk.
Ingredients (makes 4-6 medium pancakes)
- 1 ripe banana (the riper it is, the sweeter the pancakes)
- 100g rolled oats (blended into flour, or use oat flour)
- 2 eggs (or 1 whole egg plus 1 egg white, for a lower-fat version)
- 50ml milk (low-fat, or a sugar-free almond/oat drink)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp olive oil (for greasing the pan)
Cooking the pancakes
A non-stick frying pan is heated over medium heat and lightly greased with olive oil, using a piece of kitchen paper to spread it thinly. Spoonfuls of the batter are then dropped into the pan in small, rounded shapes. Once small bubbles begin appearing on the surface, after around two minutes, each pancake is carefully flipped and cooked for a further one to two minutes on the other side, until golden.
Serving suggestion
Rather than reaching for a shop-bought syrup, these pancakes are best finished with honey, a spoonful of nut butter and some fresh fruit on top.
