Forget buying pancake mix in plastic containers or bags. This zero waste pancake recipe is healthy, delicious AND simple to make. Cooking plastic-free or zero waste isn't easy and as a bonus, these are also sugar-free, gluten-free, grain-free AND dairy-free. This is one of my favourite recipes to cook and these pancakes are healthy enough to pass as dinner on a night when I'm too disorganised to cook, but want to avoid takeaway food and the rubbish that results.
Recipe Ingredients (Serves 2)
4 Free Range Eggs
2 Bananas
2-3 tablespoons of Buckwheat Flour
3-4 tablespoons of Soy Milk (or milk of choice)
1/4 teaspoon each of Baking Powder & Bi-carb Soda
Sprinkle of Cinnamon
Olive oil or coconut oil
A few Notes about the Ingredients
>Personally, I like to opt for free range eggs and as local as I can find. This reduces food miles and although more expensive, I prefer to know the egg layers aren't treated badly. I would LOVE to have my own chickens, but I don't have that luxury just yet
>If you have over ripe bananas, this is a great way to use them up and prevent food waste
>Buckwheat flour works really well in this recipe and takes it from an eggy flavour to a pancake flavour. You can certainly substitute other flours, and I would recommend doing this if you don't use buckwheat on a regular basis or can't get hold of it in your local bulk food store. I have used rice flour, corn flour and plain flour and each will give the recipe a slightly different taste. (If you use self raising flour, omit the bicarb and baking soda)
>Baking powder, bi-carb soda and cinnamon are not always easy to find in bulk. Opt for the packaging with least plastic or one that comes in a container you will definitely reuse.
>I love to top these with some local honey or nut butter. Most health food stores will stock these in bulk and allow you to bring your own containers to refill.
Method
If you have a blender, stick blender or processor, simply throw all the ingredients in together and blend.
If mixing by hand, start by adding the bananas and mashing with a fork. Now add eggs and milk and mix through and finally add in the dry ingredients (flour, bicarb, baking soda, cinnamon).
Heat the Frypan and add a dash of oil
Once the pan is hot, pour in some of the pancake mix
Tilt the frypan to spread the mixture as this helps to ensure it cooks evenly
I then place a saucepan lid on top to contain the heat and partially cook the top (you don't have to do this, but it does speed up the time a little)
After a few minutes, flip the pancake and cook only briefly on the second side
Transfer to your plate and top with some local honey & nut butter, lemon & sugar, pure maple syrup & berries, or just eat it as it comes.
Makes 2-3 dinner plate sized pancakes (depending on the size of your bananas and eggs). You can of course cook them any size you like.
If you are heading towards a zero waste lifestyle, don't forget to compost your banana peels.
A small amount of egg shells can be given to your dog, our lab absolutely loves them, but don't feed them too many. Alternatively, compost them, dispose of in your green organics bin or use around your garden.
Making smaller quantities definitely cuts down on household food waste and if you have leftovers, they can be reheated the following day (best done in the frypan as the microwave makes them a little soggy).
Quick, simple recipes like this help us avoid single-use plastics and other waste that may come from packaged convenience meals or takeaway orders. It is also so much healthier and greener than the old shake'n'bake pancake bottles which never seemed to work for me anyway and just resulted in lumpy clumpy messes.
And, before you think i'm a little crazy for mentioning earlier that we sometimes we eat this for dinner - My daughter and I go halves in eating this pancake recipe, so we are each getting 2 eggs and a whole banana (plus some extra protein and nutrients depending on the topping). It is surprisingly filling and I love that this can be cooked morning, noon or night with minimal effort. I also get some brownie points for being a fun mum when I'm tired and grumpy.
I hope you give this recipe a go, and let me know how it turns out. I'm curious which other flours are good to substitute.