Banana Pancakes


In our family, pancakes have been known as "p'akes" since my sister was a wee little lady. And we've made and consumed a lot of them in the last twenty-plus years. Nowadays my prowess in the kitchen is confronted with a new challenge: gluten-free baking.

The sister who coined "p'akes" can't eat a mite of gluten or she gets very sick. And that's a very sad thing for us all, because it doesn't really seem fair to bake things she can't eat. Isn't half the fun (at least) of making a meal is sharing it with one's family?

I haven't wanted to do much cooking or baking lately because I feel so limited: no wheat, rye, barley, or spelt. That leaves corn, rice, oats, buckwheat, and tapioca. Great as supplemental grains in recipes but not really stand-alones to my lights. But determined to make p'akes that Sis could enjoy, I threw together a recipe for gluten-free banana pancakes that surprised us all; they were that good! Here's how:

Mix in a medium bowl:
2 over-ripe bananas, mashed
2 eggs, beaten

1 Tbs. oil
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup quick oats


Sift in:
1 1/2 cups white cornmeal (Aunt Jemima's)
2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt


Stir just until moistened and batter is still slightly lumpy. Let sit while pan or griddle is heating. Give mixture a final stir. Ladle 1/3 c. batter onto pan and let cook until bubbles appearing in the center of the pancake begin to pop and edges of pancake are slightly dry. Flip with spatula and let cook until underside is golden brown. Serve piping hot with butter, maple syrup or honey, and a dollop of fresh whipped cream. Makes 12, approximately.

Suggested listening: Jack Johnson's "Banana Pancakes" of course.

No pretending; the weekend is here!

Photo: "Emmeline" apron I made from Sew Liberated pattern.

Comments

Greyhaven Pines said…
What a fun apron! I am next in line to read "Sew Liberated," courtesy of our wonderful public library.

I've taken dinner to a family at our church who needs gluten-free meals. There are some really good chocolate chip cookie recipes out there if you do a bit of googling. Also, if the recipe calls for small amounts of wheat such as a crunch or crumble, I've had great success grinding up oats in my blender and using that flour as a replacement.

Elizabeth
Candice Lea said…
Mmm...pancakes sound good. I just had to say - LOVE that apron. :-) So cute!
Edmund de Trois said…
I have heard that almond flour makes a nice gluten-free substitute. And it is quite tasty too!
Anna Blanch said…
do you know about Kamut flour - it isn't wheat free but it is gluten free if that makes sense. It's got a great colour and texture and makes great crusts and bases and even in conjunction with other things, breads...
Anna Blanch said…
whoops/.....i did more checking and even though kamut is often used as a substitute for wheat based flours it is not in fact gluten free....sorry about that!
This morning I was ready earlier than usual before Thomas and I left for camp (He's been spending the week with me while Isaac & Emily are in Delaware on a 4H exchange trip.) and I got a hankering for some p'akes myself. Our blueberry bushes are in season, so I made a dash out to the orchard for a quick picking and whipped up some tasty blueberry ones. I've never had banana, but I do love that song, and now I want to try yours!
Anonymous said…
I love your recipe!
Though...oats aren't gluten free (if your sister can eat them she's soo lucky!)
If you're looking for some gluten free baking inspiration check out Andrew Whitley's (hope I spelled his name right) Bread Matters.
He's got a section on gluten free baking which I found really inspiring!

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