Green Banana Flour Pancake Recipe

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Green banana flour might sound like some exotic new health trend, but it’s been a kitchen staple in many parts of the world for ages and is recommended by Dr Gundry for baking with. It comes straight from unripe bananas and this flour is packed with nutrients, making it a popular choice for lectin free living. It’s naturally gluten-free, which opens up a world of possibilities for those avoiding gluten which is a major lectin. Plus, it’s got this subtle earthy taste that adds a unique twist to your dishes and even smells like chocolate when I cook the pancakes.

It’s rich in resistant starch, so it’s known for being good for the gut and may help keep those blood sugar levels in check. It’s also a good source of potassium, dietary fiber, and some essential vitamins which makes it pretty impressive for something that comes from green bananas, right? So it’s just not another flour, but has many health benefits!

Sustainability is the name of the game with green banana flour as well. It’s usually made from bananas that might otherwise go to waste, so every time you’re whisking up a batch of banana flour pancakes, you’re practically helping the planet. It’s efficient like nothing else, helping farmers reduce waste and providing an alternative to the environmental toll of traditional wheat farming.

Here’s a little nugget of history: green banana flour’s got roots that run deep in places like Africa, South America, and the West Indies long before hit the wider market. Folks in these regions turned to banana flour out of necessity, often as an alternative to costly or less available grains. Today, it’s riding a new wave of popularity thanks to its health benefits and versatility.

The versatility of green banana flour is stellar. From traditional porridge in Africa to the gluten-free goodies whipped up across health-focused kitchens from different recipes worldwide, it’s tested and proven across the culinary spectrum. Whether you’re whipping up some muffins, gluten-free pasta, or, of course, pancakes, banana flour is your partner in culinary creativity.

Crafting the Perfect Green Banana Flour Pancakes

Making pancakes with green banana flour is a fun twist on the classic breakfast staple. This nutrient-rich flour promises not just a unique taste but a hearty texture that also feeds your gut buddies their resistant starch. It’s so good that we make these for dinner as well.

I will also show both savoury and sweet options we do below, as well as our popular okra pancakes that we love to do and how to prepare that.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds (Flax Eggs)
  • I’ve also recently tried adding a teaspoon of psyllium husks to the mix which makes them fluffy.
• 6 tablespoons water (To Make Flax Eggs)
• 1 heaped teaspoon psyllium husks (***optional, but adds fluffiness to pancakes) + 1 tablespoon water
• 1 cup green banana (plantain) flour
• 1/2 -1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 cup non-dairy milk (I use 1 400ml can of organic unsweetened coconut milk into a 1 litre glass jar then top up with filtered water)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 -2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice)
• Coconut oil, for cooking
• If making Okra pancakes, you’ll also need:
  • 1 – 1.5 cups Okra (frozen or fresh)
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil to sprinkle in bowl on okra to help the herbs stick
  • Sprinkle of:
    • Iodised sea salt
    • pepper
    • mixed herbs
    • turmeric
    • paprika
    • garlic powder
    • bit of cayenne pepper (if you like a bit of spicy)
  • ***The herbs you use will depend on what you prefer, but this is what I use.

Method

1. If making Okra Pancakes, I prefer to cook the okra first in the oven for 30 minutes on 200 deg celcius.
1. Mix the ground flax seeds & psyllium husks together with the water for each of them. Stir a few times and set aside for 10-15 minutes to thicken
2. Pour the flour in a medium bowl, add the baking soda and stir to combine. Add in the flax eggs, milk, vanilla, and vinegar and stir to get an even doughy mixture (don’t overmix!). ***Vanilla is optional if you’re doing savoury.
3. ***For Okra pancakes, I prepare the frozen akra in a bowl with herbs and spices. Before we add the herbs I sprinkle about 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil on the okra. then add salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, mixed herbs, paprika, garlic and tumeric. Then mix it all around with a spoon so it’s thoroughly combined and ready to put into the oven to cook or you can also sprinkle on top of the pancakes before you fully cook them).
4. Heat coconut oil in a large pan over medium-low. Add about 2-3 tbsps of the batter to form a pancake, depending how big you want them or how big your pan is.
5. Let it cook for 3-4 minutes on medium heat until the edges get golden brown and bubbles form on top. For okra pancakes, I sprinkle the cooked or uncooked okra on top of the pancake at this stage before flipping.  Then flip and cook for another 3 minutes on the other side. Repeat until all batter is used up.
5. ***If having savoury orka pancakes, I like to top with avocado, sauerkraut and either keto mayo (lectin free/vegan) or a lectin free sauce (eg. BBQ/Tomato) or if you don’t have any of those, just salt, pepper and olive oil also works great.  Enjoy!
6. If having sweet pancakes, serve warm with a drizzle of allulose syrup, in-season fruit, Lakanto syrup, little bit of raw honey with cinnamon, or even sugar free jam.

***For savoury pancakes with or without the okra added, we usually put avocado on top, then sometimes cheese (husband likes goats/sheep cheese, but I found a coconut cheese that is tastes great). Then top with sauerkraut, olive oil, lectin free/egg free mayo or even a little bit of lectin free BBQ/Tomato sauce.

***I put leftover pancakes we can’t eat into the freezer. Then reheat on a fry pan or even in the toaster when you want them again. Not sure how long they’ll last frozen in the freezer, as we usually eat them within the next week or so.

Now, to nail that perfect pancake texture, keep an eye on the heat. Too hot and they’ll burn on the outside while the middle stays gooey. We want golden brown perfection, so medium heat’s your best friend. Also, be patient, as it can usually take me about an hour to cook all the batter up. Flip them only when little bubbles form on the surface.

Ever thought about different topping choices?

These pancakes are a blank canvas and you can add whatever you fancy or feel like as long as it’s lectin free, sugar free and gluten free to stay on the healthy path.

We usually do both for dinner. Have a savory one with okra, then a plain one that we make sweet. Enjoy and let me know your thoughts!