Quick and Easy Banana Pancakes

This recipe is inspired by the post for 2 Ingredient Pancakes shared by karaklett on FastPaleo.com. I've tried a few Paleo pancake recipes and this one so far is my favorite. The first time I made it, they came out very thin (almost like a crepe) so my husband had the genius idea of incorporating a spoonful of nut butter to the batter to make them a little fluffier. BRILLIANT!

You might have noticed I updated the main photo and a few others for this recipe. Don't worry, I didn't change anything else! Here is the old main photo, if it makes you feel better.



 

Ingredients

• 1 super-ripe banana
• 1 spoonful of creamy nut butter (like almond or sunflower or cashew)
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• Coconut oil

1. Mash the banana with the nut butter until it has a batter-like consistency. You want to make sure you get rid of any chunks and don't have any pockets of nut butter that haven't been mixed in. You can do this in a food processor or blender. I used my stick blender and a mixing bowl.
2. Break two eggs into your bowl and beat them into the mixture. Don't overblend/mix or your batter will be way too loose.
3. Mix in the teaspoon of vanilla.
4. Heat a few spoonfuls of coconut oil in a large skillet or griddle over medium-low heat. When the pan is ready, it will sizzle if you drop a bead of water on it.
5. Using a ladle, or large spoon, drop some batter onto the pan. (I do one ladle-ful to make a little larger than silver-dollar pancakes and I can fit two at a time in my large frying pan.) When the pancake bubbles on top and the underside is golden brown, flip it over using a very thin spatula. Brown the other side and then remove to a plate.
6. Top with whatever you wish and serve! Makes about 6 pancakes.

What can you top it with??? ANYTHING! Because of the banana, they will already be fairly sweet but you can drizzle on a little agave nectar or pure maple syrup. I personally like to heat a half a pint of blueberries on the stove over low heat until they begin to soften and ooze and use that as a topping. You could also probably slice some fresh strawberries on top or maybe spread on some coconut manna.

Hulk Spatula angry. Hulk Spatula too thick. Break pancake.
You no like when Hulk break pancake.

OH NO! What's with the ugly pancake? If this happens, it means your heat is too high. Your batter will bubble up and create thin and uneven parts and the edges will be all funky.

There we go, much better!

 

Creamy Spinach Artichoke Soup

Summer is coming to a close and that means it is time to switch gears to fall and winter recipes. I think I'm a much better winter cook than summer cook. I love making heaping pots of soup, roasting meats and vegetables in the oven, and making hearty recipes that warm you up. I tend to stick to soups that have lots of "stuff" in them. I don't typically eat a soup that doesn't contain chunks of meat and vegetables. (You'll never see me eat a bowl of tomato soup or butternut squash soup - no matter how good it looks I just don't care for it!) So for me to say I absolutely LOVE this spinach artichoke soup, you know it must be AMAZING. I actually took the inspiration for this recipe from a WeightWatchers recipe. I know, I know, no need to roll your eyes. Trust me, though, it's awesome.

Ingredients

• 1-2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• 10oz fresh spinach
• 1 (14oz) can artichoke hearts, drained
• 3 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• fresh ground black pepper
• Salt
• 1 can chilled full fat coconut milk (cream separated from the water***)

1. Heat the olive oil over medium high heat in a large dutch oven. Saute the onions until they begin to become translucent. Add the garlic and continue to saute for another minute or so until fragrant. Add the spinach and artichoke hearts and saute for an additional 2 minutes until spinach begins to wilt.
2. Add 3 cups of vegetable or chicken broth and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Stir in the coconut milk cream. (It may look a little gross at this point, but trust me, you're on the right track.) Let cool for 5-10 minutes and add to a blender. Blend to desired consistency.

***When either left sitting alone long enough, or chilled in the fridge, coconut milk will naturally separate with the creamy solids rising to the top and the clear water gathering in the bottom. DON'T SHAKE UP YOUR CAN OF COCONUT MILK! Carefully open the top and spoon the creamy portion into a small bowl. You should be left with about 1 cup of creamy solids which we'll use to make the soup "creamy" (you can do whatever you like with the leftover water). I promise the soup won't taste like coconuts.


Tips:

1. This soup freezes well and reheats like a champ. Don't be afraid to make a little extra for instant warm gratification on a yucky day.
2. If you do dairy, you can add some parmesan cheese to the mix which will almost make the soup reminiscent of spinach artichoke dip. Stir in about 1/2 cup grated when you add the coconut cream, or throw in a few pieces of the rind when you add the broth. If you add rind, don't forget to fish them out of the pot before blending.
3. The soup tastes really great with chicken. You can either drop in a few pieces of steamed or grilled chicken, or use the soup as a sauce for boneless, skinless chicken breast.