Sourdough Banana Pancakes

These sourdough banana pancakes are light and fluffy on the inside, with bits of caramelized banana in every bite. The rich, nutty flavors of whole-grain spelt flour pair perfectly with the subtle sweetness of bananas. I absolutely love topping mine with melty grass-fed butter, a dollop of CocoJune Coconut yogurt, and a light drizzle of local maple syrup. A sweet-savory, hot-cold combination that I can't resist. And with winter upon us, there has never been a better time for a cozy stack of sourdough banana pancakes. 

Between the locally sourced, stone-milled whole grains, healthy fats from coconut oil, and pastured eggs – these pancakes are loaded with rich flavor, complex carbohydrates and contain 0g added sugar, 9g protein, and 5g fiber per serving. The pancakes contain micronutrients like b-vitamins, iron, zinc, magnesium, and powerful antioxidants from whole grains and lactic acid bacteria. Bananas also provide a dose of nutrients like Vitamin C, magnesium, and potassium, and most notably, resistant starch (our gut health friend).

Let's talk bananas first.

Bananas are actually a berry?!

Botanically speaking – yes, they are a berry, along with pumpkins, avocados, and cucumbers. And even more confusing, raspberries, blackberries, and mulberries are not berries at all. For fruits to be scientifically classified as a berry, they must have the seeds and pulp from the ovary of a single flower, aka our banana. 

Are bananas too high in carbs?

It's fair to say bananas have an unfair reputation these days. It's probably because they're reasonably dense in carbohydrates and as a result, get a good amount of attention from the low-carb community. Your average medium ripe banana has about 15g of sugar and 28g of carbohydrates. For some context, one cup of blueberries has the same amount of sugar and just 7g less of carbohydrates. Interesting. And actually, depending on a banana's degree of ripeness, less of the starch will be digestible. Green bananas, for instance, will give you a good dose of resistant starch (our gut health friend). 

As bananas ripen, their resistant starch transforms into simple sugars. If we think about bananas across a green-to-brown spectrum, a green banana contains almost 25-30g of resistant starch. While a very ripe, brown banana would have the inverse - making the spotty banana a perfect post-workout snack. Now, the half-ripe banana would have moderate amounts of both resistant starch and digestible carbohydrates.

4 Key Health Benefits of Bananas

1. Resistant Starch. Most importantly, the high concentration of resistant starch found in bananas and other foods like grains passes through our system undigested and feeds our beneficial gut bacteria. These "good" bacteria promote greater butyrate production, lower blood glucose response (lower glycemic), increase magnesium absorption, and act as a prebiotic to improve digestion and reduce leaky gut. 
2. Potassium. A medium yellow banana has roughly 420mg of potassium, just 30mg less than an orange sweet potato. Potassium, most notably, plays a role in regulating blood pressure and helps regulate the excretion of calcium which may be why it's associated with high bone mineral density.
3. Vitamin B6. Bananas also have an impressive amount of Vitamin B6. One medium-sized banana contains 33% of your daily value. According to the Mayo Clinic, vitamin B6 is essential for brain development, keeping the nervous and immune system healthy, and even lessening symptoms of PMS and menstruation.
4. Magnesium. Eating one medium-sized banana will give you 32mg of this essential mineral, almost 10% of your daily value. According to Oregon State University's Linus Pauling Institute, magnesium is involved in more than 300 chemical reactions in our bodies. Magnesium plays a critical role in muscle and nerve function, protein synthesis, blood glucose control, blog pressure regulation, and even energy production. 

Why are Sourdough Pancakes Better For You?

Our Sourdough Pancake & Waffle Mix has been naturally fermented with sourdough culture for optimal nutrition and gut health. This process of activating grains through fermentation is a long-standing tradition dating back to as early as 3000 BCE. This wondrous process is a way of preparing grains to nourish us best. A long fermentation with sourdough culture, a medley of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and wild yeast, increase nutrient absorption, improves digestibility, and unlocks essential nutrients in grains. 

Green Banana Pancakes Variation

If you're looking for an extra shot of prebiotic power, get yourself an unripe banana, even yellow-green will do. Simply replace the yellow banana this recipe calls for with your green banana. HOT TIP: If you've tried peeling a green banana, you probably know it's nearly impossible (and likely will snap in half). Use a knife to slice the skin down the middle to get the fruit inside. If you find mashing the banana with a fork challenging, I recommend finely dicing.

How ripe should the bananas be for this sourdough pancake recipe?

For classic sourdough banana pancakes, yellow or ripe bananas are perfect. Since our pancake mix is unsweetened with 0g of sugar, yellow bananas will give your stack an extra sweetness. And pair perfectly with salted grass-fed butter!

How can I freeze the pancakes? 

Yes, you definitely can. Simply add made and cooled pancakes to a large storage container, seal, and freeze. To prevent pancakes from sticking together, you can stack and separate each layer with parchment paper. I usually batch a few pancakes together (3-5) and then add a sheet between each. This way, I can quickly grab my morning stack. 

How do I reheat them?

There are a few ways you can reheat these pancakes. I will take out the batch I want from the freezer and sit on the counter for a couple of minutes. And then either I warm them for 2-3 minutes in the toaster oven or warm them on a skillet with some butter. If you have a larger batch to warm, I recommend using your oven. Preheat your oven to 350f. Place your sourdough pancakes on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.  

Ingredients to Make Sourdough Banana Pancakes

• Organic, Fair Trade Bananas: Yellow or ripe bananas will add a natural sweetness.

• Jesha's Bakery Activated Sourdough Pancake & Waffle Mix: 0g of sugar, 8g protein, and 5g fiber per serving. Our mix is made exclusively with organic ingredients and activated whole grains.

• Pastured Eggs: I opt for Vital Farms pasture-raised eggs. In addition to their rich nutrient profiles of essential vitamins like Choline, Vitamin D, and protein, they provide richness to these sourdough muffins. 

• Melted Oil or Grass-Fed Butter: You will notice I use melted coconut oil, but you can use avocado oil, olive oil, ghee (if you're dairy-free), or butter if you prefer!

• Non-dairy milk or water: Any variety will work. You can also use regular milk.

How do you make sourdough banana pancakes?

Thanks to our activated sourdough pancake & muffin mix, this recipe is so easy to make (and no sourdough starter required!).

1. In a small bowl, mash the banana with a fork until almost smooth. 
2. Then in a medium-sized bowl, add eggs, water, oil. Whisk together ingredients thoroughly. 
3. Next, add 2/3 cup of Sourdough Pancake & Waffle Mix to the wet ingredients. Stir until just combined. No need to over mix. 
4. Heat skillet to medium-high heat. Lightly oil with grass-fed butter or your favorite oil. I use vital farms butter. 
5. Pour batter onto the hot pan, using roughly 3 tablespoons per pancake. 
6. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until bubbles forms on the surface. Flip and cook for another minute or more.
7. Enjoy with maple syrup and grass-fed butter. Or whatever toppings you love!