Easy Paleo Plantain Pancakes Recipe
Nothing says good morning better and makes you start your day right than the paleo pancakes. Not the kind that makes you crave for more sugar later, but the kind that makes your blood sugar stable and feels phenomenal inside and out. These gluten-free paleo pancakes are definitely what you need.
If you were following my IG stories, you would have seen me create these easy paleo pancakes. They are dairy and gluten-free, pack a punch nutritionally speaking.
The secret ingredient is ripe plantains. At the moment, while travelling in South America, I just can’t get enough of them. They are starchy, filling, and sweet. They work exceptionally well with this healthy pancake recipe.
In this recipe we will cover:
Paleo Pancake Ingredients:
Homemade paleo pancakes take little time to do so. 15 minutes. Yes, just 15 minutes if you move fairly quickly around the kitchen and have everything ready to go. You also need just a few ingredients to make this magic happen and not fuss around with flour and sifting.
These can be made in advance and be reheated on the stovetop if you have very little time in the morning.
Plantains: The key is in the ripeness. Depending on where you get your plantains from, this will vary. You might only have access to very unripe or green plantains. This can take a good few days to ripen. Starts to turn more yellow, then spotty with black flecks. It turns into its ripe state being fairly black with yellow specks. Avoid the overripe as the sugar would have fermented which does not taste nice and also by this time, there would be a host of small fruit flies around it. Aim to use a plantain with the same color like the picture below.
Eggs: Do not skimp on quality here. We want pasture-raised eggs, ideally organic and/or local. They should be as fresh as possible. You can test them by seeing if they float or sink in a bowl of water. If it floats, it’s past its prime and if it sinks, it’s fresh. Fresh eggs are the best for this recipe. Aso, you can spot the quality of the eggs with the color of the yolk.
Tip: Do not be completely fooled by the color of the yolk. Whilst it is a good indicator of the diet of the hen, some producers mix their feed with paprika to enhance the orange color, a cheeky trick.
Coconut oil/ghee/butter: A very personal choice is involved here. There is no wrong or right. I like the flavor of the coconut oil with plantains but some prefer the butter or ghee. Either way, all three work great. If you are lactose intolerant stick to the coconut oil, if you are less sensitive to lactose then try the ghee. However, if you have no problem at all, then butter is your friend. Again, we just want enough fat to coat the pan and prevent the pancakes from sticking.
I would add a small pinch of salt to slightly enhance the sweetness. Nothing crazy, just ¼ tsp of Celtic sea salt.
Paleo Pancake Fillings:
This is where things can get interesting…. Here are some ideas which work great with this recipe.
Adding 1 tbsp of cacao powder to the actual mix to make them more chocolatey.
Adding ½ cup of frozen blueberries to make paleo blueberry pancakes.
Adding 2 tbsp of hand-chopped dark chocolate to have crunchy chocolate bite each time.
Paleo Pancake Toppings:
You can go a little crazy here but I try to restrain my choices here as it's somewhat unnecessary and creates basically an extravaganza with flavor combinations and easily make the recipe very high in energy (calories).
Bee pollen
Greek yogurt for more protein compared to natural yogurt
Fresh or frozen berries such as strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries
Raw honey or maple syrup for the sweetness
Caramelized plantains on top. Double-teaming with the plantains inside and out.
Chopped nuts such as brazil nuts, macadamias, or walnuts go well.
Health Benefits Of Plantains.
Technically named Musa paradisiaca L, they are grown in tropical regions of Asia, central and south America, the Caribbean, and subtropical regions of Africa.
Plantains possess a great source of potassium needed for muscle contraction or for water to interact with the positive charge it contains. Bananas do contain slightly more potassium than plantains by typically 100mg.
A cool fact is that the peel contains a significant amount of potassium too. Various cultures utilize the peel and boil it to extract the potassium and also magnesium content. I do not do this and don't recommend it due to the possibility of anti-nutrients on the peel which include oxalates and also pesticides plus other chemicals used in agriculture and transportation. Other minerals found in the flesh of both banana and plantain are deemed low which include manganese, copper, zinc, and iron.
Paleo Banana Pancakes
I have previously created the famous 3 ingredient paleo pancakes involving eggs, banana, and a touch of coconut oil. The issue is that the banana is slightly too mushy and does not hold up compared to its mighty stronger family relative. Plantains being starchier can bind to more eggs, allowing for greater consistency compared to the paleo banana recipes.
Although, if you don't have access to plantains, still try the banana version which you can find here on my Instagram page.
How To Cook Paleo Pancakes
Making the batter mix is pretty straightforward. You need a large bowl and a spoon or whisk to mash the plantains. As the plantains are fairly ripe, this requires little effort. You want to make the mashed plantain as smooth as possible. Once that is done, crack the 2 pasture-raised eggs in a separate container. Do not mix yet the 2 ingredients. Instead, whisk the eggs together then pour it into the mashed plantain to make the batter.
To this, you can add a pinch of sea salt and also ½ tsp of bicarbonate soda or baking powder to help them rise somehow, getting that kinda fluffy texture. From there you are ready to go. If you want to add the optional fillings, then do so here. If not, continue with preparing the pan ready. You will need a trusting wide pan to cook these easy plantain pancakes. Get that ready on low to medium heat. When you are all set with a ladle for the batter and pan just hot enough, add a tsp of fat of your choice. Spread this around the pan so the majority of the areas are covered. Next up, ladle the batter mix into equal circles.
Ensure the pan is hot enough but not too hot which burns the pancakes. It should take around 2-3 minutes before flipping over and repeating. Depending on the size of your pan, you will need to do the cooking in batches. Whilst you finish each batch, keep the pancakes on a warm plate. When there is no batter remaining. Plate up and use your toppings of choice.
Paleo Pancake Recipe:
My personal favorite is adding the chocolate pieces in the batter mix and then serving with greek yogurt and bee pollen with raw honey. This hits the spot every time. I like to make this recipe perhaps twice per week.
Serves 1 - but can be shared for 2 servings
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Prep time: 5 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Paleo Pancake Ingredients
The ingredients to make the magic happen.
1 medium to large ripe plantain - peeled
2 pasture-raised eggs
1 tsp coconut oil
Optional extras:
Pinch of Celtic sea salt
¼ tsp baking powder
Plus fillings and toppings listed above
How to make paleo pancakes:
Add the peeled plantain to a wide bowl. Mash with a fork or a whisk until smooth.
Add the 2 eggs. Whisk to one side of the bowl, then mix with the mashed plantain.
Add optional fillings and extras here.
Heat a wide saucepan on medium heat. Add the coconut oil.
Make sure the oil has coated the pan. Next, ladle the batter mix onto the pan.
Cook for 2-3 minutes per side. Use a spatula to turn over.
Depending on the size of the pan you might need to make it in batches.
Once finished cooking, plate up and add additional toppings you wish.
NUTRITIONAL VALUE (Per serving)
Calories: 496
Protein: 14.6
Carbs: 87
Fat: 13.8
Fibre: 4.6
Vitamin B1: 0.2mg
Vitamin B2: 0.6mg
Vitamin B3: 1.9mg
Vitamin B5: 2.2mg
Vitamin B6: 0.8mg
Vitamin B9: 100ug
Vitamin B12: 0.8ug
Choline: 295mg
Vitamin A: 3518.1IU
Retinol: 140ug
Vitamin C: 49.7mg
Vitamin D: 72IU
Vitamin E: 0.9mg
Vitamin K: 78ug
Calcium: 57mg
Copper: 0.3mg
Iodine: 0
Iron: 3mg
Magnesium: 107mg
Manganese: 0.4mg
Potassium: 1436mg
Selenium: 31ug
Zinc: 1.6mg
Omega 3: 0.1g
Omega 6: 1.5g