Introduction:

In my opinion, pancakes are one of the most underrated breakfast foods. They always get outshined or overlooked for eggs, avocado toast, or even their similar counterpart waffles. In university my friends and I would say you can tell a lot about a person based on if they choose to marry, kiss, or kill; pancakes, waffles, french toast. Something to think about...

Pancakes are typically considered a high-carb sugary breakfast option. But when made right they can actually perfectly fit your macros. Birch Benders has crafted a wholesome and convenient just-add-water pancake & waffle mix with 5g of protein that redefine morning meals! Established on the principle of simplicity without sacrificing quality, Birch Benders' Paleo & Keto Pancake Mixes are the perfect blend of nutritious ingredients for health-conscious foodies, like ourselves. 

With Mother's Day right around the corner, I decided to host a special girls brunch for my mom, aiming for some much-needed mother-daughter bonding time. Because my mom battles an autoimmune disease, paying attention to the nutrients in our meals is crucial to prevent flare-ups. That's why having options like Birch Benders is truly a blessing, making it easy to enjoy a good ole banana pancake.

Taking a closer look at the ingredient list of these pancakes, I've opted for a more "grown-up" version, incorporating additional ingredients for an extra boost of nutrients. However, Birch Benders' mix stands out on its own and is incredibly kid-friendly, especially without the ground flax seeds. Personally, I enjoy a heartier pancake, especially when paired with some maple syrup or the Good Good – Keto Friendly Sweet Like Syrup Maple Flavoured (No Sugar Added). Surprisingly, you can't even tell the difference!

I saw the mini pancake idea on Pinterest and thought it was the perfect way to drown my pancakes in syrup but also a fun way to mix up your pancakes and get maybe your kids to eat more breakfast! How can you resist something this cute! Alternatively, you can whip up some Simpla Coconut Yogurt instead of whipped cream, to add some saucy/milk alternative to your cereal looking pancakes. I've opted for almond butter drizzled over top :)

Recipe:

Begin by combining the oats and kefir in a large mixing bowl, gently mixing them together before setting them aside.

Next, prepare the dry ingredients. If you don't have ground flax seeds on hand, you can easily achieve them by blending whole flax seeds in a blender. Whisk the dry ingredients together.

For the wet ingredients, mash the thawed banana in with the rest, including the vanilla and egg, until well incorporated. Rather than mashing each ingredient separately, we're opting for the lazy-girl method today – it's efficient and means fewer dishes to clean up later.

Now, add the melted butter and gradually incorporate the remaining dry ingredients in thirds, mixing well after each addition. Don’t worry if your pancake mixture is looking a little lumpy (we like it this way in this case!)

If you're adding blueberries or chocolate chips, now's the time. You could even mix it up and use both! Mini chocolate chips are particularly delightful, especially for the little ones.

To achieve those perfectly adorable mini pancakes, use a teaspoon measuring cup to spoon the batter onto the pan, leaving some space between each one (about 2cm). This ensures they cook evenly and come out beautifully round. I learned this trick from my mom – she's a pancake pro!

Pancakes can be a bit finicky, but here's a hack: after every other round, add a little butter to the pan. This helps achieve that perfect golden-brown colour on the bottom of each pancake. I also find using a good non-stick pan can help achieve the perfect consistent colour overall.

Ingredients:

wet

• 1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons Zego Double Protein oats
• 1 cup kefir
• 1 banana (room temp) - I like to freeze my very ripe bananas so I always have them on hand for smoothies or in this case pancakes!
• 1tsp vanilla
• 1 egg
• 1tbsp butter

dry

• ¾ cup Birch Benders Mix (add more or less depending on the consistency of your pancakes – we want it slightly more liquidy than usual)
• 2 tablespoon ground flax seeds
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt

mix together we like it lumpy this time !

add your toppings

topping options:

• Mini chocolate chips
• Blueberries
• Any fruit of your choice
• Maple syrup
• Fine & Raw Hazelnut Spread (aka Nutella but better) they also have a sugarless option!
• A cub of butter (for extra fats!)
• Try whipping up some Simpla Yogurt for an alternative to whipped cream!

Just like always, make sure to tag us on Instagram in your posts! Or send us pictures of your lovely bakes to store@shopcoco.ca to be featured on our socials! We’d love to see everything you guys recreate!

Thank you for joining us for another recipe, we hope you love these mini “cereal” Pinterest pancakes as much as we do!

Love,

Natasha xx