coconut & almond crusted banana pancakes

I have some things to share about life, love and pancakes. You see, pancakes and I have a lot of history.  We go waaaay back.  Back to my childhood, back to my college days, and still to this day, pancakes hold a special place in my heart. 

I have made a lot of pancakes in all different flavors, shapes and sizes.  I have even ordered a pancake {or twenty} in a restaurant. If I see it on a menu with the word coconut in it, watch out. I'm a total sucker.

It all started when I was growing up.  I have vivid memories of jumping out of bed every Saturday morning, running downstairs, mixing up my batter, and making blueberry pancakes in the shape of Mickey Mouse for me and my family. Staples from those Saturday mornings included an electric griddle, Bisquick, frozen blueberries, Aunt Jemima, a lots of butter. Lots of butter. Boy ... how times have changed.  

By the time I was 12, I had certainly mastered the pancake.  

Fast-forward 10 years, and there I was using my pancake skills to feed breakfast to hungry friends on the weekends. Even back then, I loved to cook any chance I could get. 

Fast-forward another 5 years, and you'll find me cooking banana pancakes over a grill for my {now fiancé} on our first week long vacation. I really wanted to show off my food-loving, domestic side by breaking out one of my best honed skills.  I think it worked ;)

Rewind to three months ago when Michael and I spent a few days in Tulum finalizing wedding plans, we came across one of the most delicious, decadent, lovely stack of coconut pancakes at a little hole in the wall restaurant.  It was our second breakfast that day.  We just couldn't resisit. 

At some point during my pancake obsession, my favorite breakfast food turned into special occasion sort of thing for me because I knew there was nothing nutritious about a floury, dense pancake loaded with butter. As much as I loved them, I didn't enjoy them nearly as much until this recipe made it's way into my life. 

These pancakes right here not only taste better, they are better .... for you. This recipe uses bananas to make the batter sweet and airy. It uses almond meal and spelt flour to hold it together, which are both much healthier alternatives to white flour. Almond milk and coconut milk are also incorporated to make it moist, nutritious, and add a hint of flavor.

You can only image how wonderful these pancakes taste. With a crust of shredded coconut and chopped almonds ... OMG. Heaven. 

The only downside - they're so good you might end up eating twice as many. 

coconut & almond crusted banana pancakes

Makes
6-8 pancakes

Ingredients

dry ingredients:
1/2 cup of spelt flour
1/4 cup of almond meal
1/4 cup of shredded (unsweetened) coconut
1 tsp of baking powder
a pinch of salt

wet ingredients:
1 very ripe banana
1 tsp of vanilla extract
1/3 cup of almond milk
1/3 cup of light coconut milk
1 tsp of maple syrup

1 tablespoon olive oil or earth balance butter

for the crust:
1/4 of finely chopped almonds
1/4 cup of shredded coconut

toppings: maple syrup, sliced banana, shredded coconut

Directions

• In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients. 
• In a blender or food processor, blend the wet ingredients until smooth. 
• Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until everything is combined. 
• In a large cast iron pan, heat up the 1/2 of the oil or earth balance.  Spoon the pancake mixture into the pan leaving plenty of room around each pancake for them to spread. Depending on the size of your pan, you should be able to fit three to four in the pan.  
• Sprinkle the almond and coconut crust mixture onto the tops of the pancakes.  
• Cook the pancakes for 2-3 minutes (until the bottom edged are lightly browned) and then carefully flip them.  
• Cook for 2-3 more minutes and then transfer them to a plate.  
• Repeat until the batter is finished.  
• Serve immediately with extra coconut sprinkles, banana slices, and a drizzle of maple syrup. 

Enjoy.