Make: Banana-Pancake Breakfast Sandwiches with Peanut Butter

I love pancakes. I crave pancakes. Every time my husband and I eat out for breakfast, I try to convince him to order pancakes while I order a healthy egg-white omelet so we can share. Usually he calls me a food bully and flatly refuses. Picture me, arms crossed, slumped in the booth, dreaming of pancakes with a pout on my face.

These banana pancakes are what I make to subdue my cravings and keep a happy calorie conscience. They taste great and every single ingredient makes your body happy. These are the pancakes I will serve to my (future, older) kids and know that I’m doing right by them.

Now, as healthy as these pancakes are, they are still somewhat low in protein (as are all pancakes). To remedy this issue, smear a nice thick layer of peanut or almond butter between two pancakes—problem solved. Even better, make the pancake sandwiches on Sunday, tuck each sandwich in a plastic bag, and freeze. Each night that week, transfer a sandwich to the fridge and it will be ready for your morning ride to work!

Banana-Pancake Breakfast Sandwich with Peanut Butter
Makes six sandwiches

1 cup oats, ground into flour
3 ripe bananas
½ cup skim or low-fat milk
½ tsp. vanilla
¼ cup oats (preferably old fashioned or “rolled”)
½ cup whole-wheat flour
¼ tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
2 egg whites, whipped to soft peaks (see step 5 below for instructions)
Cooking spray
½ cup peanut or almond butter

1. Place 1 cup of oats in blender or food processor and grind into powder. Place in mixing bowl.
2. Place bananas, milk and vanilla in blender and puree until smooth.
3. Add oats, flour, salt, and baking powder to ground oats in mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
4. Add banana mixture to dry ingredients and fold gently with spatula until mostly combined.
5. Add egg whites and gently fold into batter. To whip egg whites, place in a mixing bowl and beat with the whisk attachment of electric mixer until you lift whisk and a peak is formed from the puffy egg whites. Two things will hinder the process: egg yolk and any fat, such as oil or butter.
6. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Skillet is ready when water is flicked on it and it sizzles. Spray with nonstick spray and spread 4 rounds of batter. Note: the batter is thick and you may need to goad the batter into the rounds with the back of a spoon.
7. Flip when lightly browned and cook on the opposite side until lightly browned. Place on a wire rack and cool completely.
8. Spread 6 pancakes with peanut butter (or almond butter) and top with remaining pancakes to make sandwiches. Serve (or bag and freeze).

Per sandwich: 296 calories, 13.8 fat grams (1.7 saturated fat, 3.4 polyunsaturated fat, 8.7 monounsaturated fat), 0.4 milligrams cholesterol, 129 milligrams sodium, 504 milligrams potassium, 46.2 grams carbohydrates, 6.5 grams dietary fiber, 8.3 grams sugar, 9.1 grams protein.

>> Check out more Be Well Philly recipes here.

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Becca Boyd is a wife and new mom who teaches culinary courses to students at Radnor High School. She creates healthy and delicious recipes in her West Chester kitchen and blogs about them on her website, Home Beccanomics.