11 August 2012

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Pancakes

This experiment was so good I couldn't wait to share it with you! If you don't like your pancakes gooey, these might not be for you. But, if you love chocolate, banana, or peanut butter (or all three!), you should definitely try them!

So now, my friends, I present to you, some ooey gooey protein-packed whole wheat dark chocolate peanut butter banana pancakes, with no added sugar (except for what's in the chocolate :) ).


What I Used:

~ 1/4 Cup whole wheat flour (Eagle Mills all natural)
~ 2 Tablespoons powdered peanut butter (click here for more info)
~ 1/4 Cup 100% pure pumpkin
~ 1/4 Cup nonfat Greek yogurt (Fage all natural)
~ 1/2 Medium-sized very ripe banana, mashed (Acts as a natural sweetener)
~ 1 Tablespoon Dark chocolate or dark chocolate chips (Nestle Toll House)
~ 1 Egg white (To help pancakes rise a little and hold everything together)
~ 1 to 2 Tablespoons water (To help with rising) 

What I Did: 

1. In a large(ish) bowl, mix the powdered peanut butter and flour together 

2. Add everything else, and mix until it's all evenly wet (Don't worry about over mixing too much with this recipe since there's not that much flour. The batter will be fairly thick, but don't add too much water or it will negate the effects of the egg and you'll have a mess.)
     
3. Lightly grease a skillet and over medium to medium-high heat, use a 1/3 Cup measuring cup to scoop the batter onto the pan. Use a spoon to spread each one out a little so it will cook through (the "blob" on the pan is pretty thick)
 
4. After a couple minutes, flip. These pancakes don't bubble as much as normal ones so you'll have to use your best judgement.

5. Done! I ate these babies plain and it was YUM! Plus, they kept me full and satisfied for a long long time. :)

Yield: Makes 3, 1/3 Cup-sized pancakes


Caution: I should mention again that these aren't normal-textured pancakes. They are denser and much gooier/not as bread-like because of the pumpkin and yogurt. I'm going to play around with the ratios and see what happens, but I love my pancakes gooey so these were perfect for me!

A Bit of Nutrition

Per 1/3 Cup-sized pancake there are about:

~ 113 calories
~ 7 g protein
~ 3.5 g fiber
~ 6 g sugar (Most of this is natural! Only about 1 to 2 grams is added-from the chocolate)

Enjoy!

Food Storage Tidbit

There are three parts to a grain kernel: the germ, endosperm, and bran. White wheat flour is made with just the endosperm (starch, basically). Whole wheat flour contains, of course, all three parts, which add more fiber and a little bit of fat from the germ, among other nutrients. 

Because of this fat, it is best to store whole wheat flour (and other whole grain flours) in the refrigerator or freezer or it will go rancid/have a shorter shelf life than white flour. Most whole grain flours will keep fresh in the fridge for 2-3 months, and 6-8 months if in the freezer.

Grains will keep longer than flour because the oils are naturally protected by the kernel instead of all ground up and exposed, and thus it's more difficult for oxidation to occur. Most grains will be fine in a room-temperature cupboard for several months, and up to a year if stored in the freezer.

For best freshness, though, buy what you'll use in 2-3 months. (For tips from the Whole Grains Council on how to store other grains, click here.)

Question of the day: What is your favorite kind of pancake? I love whole wheat blueberry!

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2 comments:

  1. This looks great, Anna! You had me at oozy gooey..and dark chocolate...and peanut butter...and whole wheat hehe
    Uh oh..I should store my whole wheat flour in the fridge asap!

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    Replies
    1. Ahaha! I rarely pass up any chocolate and peanut butter combination!

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