Banana Bread Pancakes with Chocolate

I was so excited to live out one of my favorite songs this weekend - "Banana Pancakes" by Jack Johnson. If you have not heard this song - download it now. It will make you happy!

"Maybe we can sleep in,

I'll make you banana pancakes,

Pretend like it's the weekend now"

It was a cloudy morning, and I actually slept in for once. In an effort to continue the girl weekend festivities, we decided to make Banana Bread Pancakes (gluten-free) for breakfast. My mom whipped up the batter, I made cappuccino's and Meg was cleaning up after us!

These pancakes are not your run-of-the-mill fluffy pancake, so if that is what you like, then this is not for you. But if you like wholesome, oatey, banana-ey, hearty pancakes - get on this recipe now!

These just melt in your mouth and take you to banana, chocolate heaven! They really taste like banana bread - very aptly named!

Banana Bread Pancakes with Chocolate

Recipe from My New Roots

Yields: 4 servings
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes

2/3 cup walnuts

1 cup rolled oats (make sure to use gluten-free oats if making gluten-free recipe)
2 teaspoon baking soda
pinch sea salt
2 very ripe banana
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoon olive oil
1 1/3 cup nut milk (I use almond)
4 teaspoon maple syrup
maple syrup
banana, sliced
handful of walnuts, chopped
extra-dark chocolate, grated

In a food processor, pulse the walnuts until they resemble a sand-textured powder (do not over process – you’ll end up with walnut butter). Remove walnut powder, add oats and pulse until you get a shaggy flour. Place walnut and oats flours in a large bowl. Add baking soda, sea salt and stir to combine. 

Add all wet ingredients (banana, vanilla, olive oil, nut milk, 4 tsp. maple syrup) to the food processor and blend to combine. 
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix just until the two come together. Let batter sit for 30 minutes at room temperature.

Heat a little coconut oil (or ghee) in a skillet and drop in 3 large spoonfuls of batter. Spread slightly with the back of the spoon to even out the batter. Turn heat down to low. Let cook on the underside until the topside is opaque, which will take more time than a regular pancake. Check to see if the bottom has browned, and if so, flip over to cook the other side. Cook until the underside is crispy and brown (although the middle is a little moist, this is okay).

Put pancake on a baking sheet in a warm oven, and cover with some foil while you make more (this will also give them time to firm up a little in the middle). Serve with pure maple syrup, fresh banana slices, chopped walnuts, and grated dark chocolate.