If you get the craving for fluffy, rich pancakes but are on board the healthy eating train, try these pancakes made with nutritious, whole food ingredients.
Using buckwheat, besan flour, cacao and almond milk, these gluten-free pancakes are hearty and decadent, and are served with fresh banana, macadamia date caramel and chocolate vanilla sauce.
Sounds to good to be true? Give these a whirl to find out.
Chocolate pancakes with macadamia caramel and chocolate vanilla sauce
Fluffy chocolate, gluten-free pancakes with fresh banana and caramel sauce made using macadamia nuts and soft fresh medjool dates. Yes, this recipe is chocolate caramel banana-y bliss.
And guys, it's not hard to make as long as you have a blender. It's not overly sweet either, as it might look and sound. It's totally decadent but it's really good for you, too. Just look down the ingredients list and see it's full of all natural, whole food ingredients.
Makes: 12 x 10cm-diameter pancakes.
Soaking time: one hour. Preparation time: 30 minutes. Cooking time: 15-20 minutes.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup buckwheat kernels, soaked in 1½ cups filtered water for one hour, rinsed, drained
- ½ cup besan (chickpea) flour*
- 1 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon quality salt
- ¼ cup raw cacao (or cocoa) powder
- 1 cup filtered water
- ½ cup almond mylk
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or other sweetener
- Coconut oil, for frying
- 6 medium bananas, sliced
- Coconut yoghurt
- 2 tablespoons cacao nibs*
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts
Macadamia caramel sauce:
- 4 tablespoons macadamia and cashew butter
- 4 fresh medjool dates, pitted
- 1 teaspoon mesquite powder* (optional)
- 3 tablespoons coconut nectar or agave syrup*
- 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
- ½ teaspoon quality salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- ¼ cup filtered water
Chocolate vanilla sauce:
- 3 tablespoons raw cacao powder
- 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 4 tablespoons filtered water
- 3 fresh medjool dates, pitted
- ¼ teaspoon quality salt
*You'll find these ingredients at your local bulk food store, health food store or online.
METHOD
- Place the soaked buckwheat into the blender with the besan flour, baking powder, salt, cacao powder, water, almond mylk and maple syrup and blend to form pancake batter. Chill batter in the fridge until needed.
- Meanwhile, make the two sauces and set aside.
- Preheat your oven to 150°C to keep the cooked pancakes warm until serving. Warm your pan (pancake pans work best) to a medium-to-hot heat and add ½ teaspoon coconut oil to cook each pancake. (Less oil is best for a smoother edge around your pancake.)
- Carefully pour ¼ cup of the batter into the centre of the pan to form a 10cm diameter pancake. Cook until bubbles appear across the pancake and then carefully flip. Cook the second side until lightly golden. Place on a plate and put in the oven to keep warm. Continue until you have cooked all 12 pancakes.
Macadamia-caramel sauce:
Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until thick and smooth. Pour into a little jug or bowl.
Chocolate-vanilla sauce:
Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until thick and smooth. Pour into a little jug or bowl.
To assemble:
Divide up the pancake stack and place on serving plates, then top with banana slices. Drizzle generously with each of the sauces. Top with a big dollop of coconut yoghurt and scatter with cacao nibs and walnuts. Enjoy the pancakes and all the compliments!
Recipe and image from Hungry by Anthea Amore, available for purchase online and in select health stores and bookstores for RRP$39.95 (flexi cover) and RRP$49.95 (hard cover).
