Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Banana Pancakes

Pancakes, pearls, and elephants.

My birthday summed up in three words. Three words that filled me with more hope than imaginable. My 33rd birthday revived me after a tough month. I spent time with my mom. We painted and juiced together. We ate chocolate after juicing. My husband bought us tickets to the circus. I spied elephants, glitter, and a flying trapeze. I felt like a kid again. He placed a dainty string of pearls around my neck. I felt like a lady again.

We ate pancakes. Lots of them. And bacon.

March was filled with change and way too much of it. I lost a job I never really wanted. I’m nearing the end of a very long journey with school. I’m venturing out on my own without the chains of a conventional job weighing me down.

For the first time in a long time, I feel free. Although I have been quiet, it is not dispassion. I simply feel IT in my bones, this deep desire to be reflective and make a poignant step in the right direction. I’m ready to dive deep in to limitless exploration, no matter how scary or awkward it feels. Knowing me, it will most likely be very awkward.

I’ll begin by diving deep in to this giant stack of morning pancakes. Chocolate and banana are a dangerous combination. My husband made these on my birthday from a gluten free recipe we found and then heavily modified to our liking. With eyes and taste buds wide open, you would never guess these pancakes were gluten and dairy free. They are absolutely perfect. Of course, we cooked them on a hot griddle right next to sizzling bacon. This is a move you will also want to make.

You can add either a handful of chocolate chips or a sprinkle of fresh blueberries as they cook on the griddle surrounded by bacon fat. Both are delicious. Whether your choice is blueberries or chocolate, just know you can always make these again tomorrow and make a different choice. That is, after all, what makes life so great. There is more than one way to enjoy a pancake.

Chocolate Chip Banana Pancakes
*Gluten and Dairy Free
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 5-7 minutes per batch
Servings: 6
Nutritional Facts: 2 pancakes (calculated without optional ingredients) equals 260 calories, 10 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 61 mg cholesterol, 38 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 7 g protein.

Ingredients

• 1 cup brown rice flour
• 1/2 cup potato starch
• 1/2 cup ground almonds (finely ground in a food processor)
• 3 teaspoons sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup almond milk, plain and unsweetened
• 2 tablespoons margarine, melted (trans fat free and vegan is the way to go)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
• 1 ripe banana, mashed

Optional adds:
1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
OR
1 cup fresh blueberries

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine the rice flour, potato starch, ground almonds, sugar, baking powder and salt. Sift lightly with a fork to combine.
2. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, margarine and vanilla. With a fork mash in one ripe banana; stir wet mixture into dry ingredients just until moistened (do not over stir).
3. Pour batter by 1/4 cup on to a hot griddle coated with cooking spray (or bacon fat…). Sprinkle in chocolate chips or blueberries. Cook until bubbles start to form on top then flip. Cook until the second side is golden brown. This recipe makes 12 small pancakes or 6 medium.