Gluten Free and Vegan: Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes!

I just made the most delicious breakfast! Not only are these pancakes vegan, but they're gluten free too! And the best part? They're better than buttermilk! This recipe is an original and I got a little adventurous. Feel free to substitute, but if you want super fluffy pancakes that wont weigh you down, try to follow it to a T.

Here's what I used:

• 2 cups oat flour
• 1 Tablespoon cane sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon iodized salt
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 Tablespoons ground flaxseed
• 2 cups almond milk
• 3 Tablespoons coconut oil  
• 2 large bananas, sliced
• 1/3 cup vegan chocolate chips

Instructions:
I mixed the dry ingredients first in a large bowl and then added the almond milk and coconut oil after warming to liquefy. (If using coconut oil, remember to warm the almond milk also to keep the oil from solidifying) After letting the batter rest 5-10 minutes, I added the banana slices and chocolate chips.

I chose to play it safe and make one pancake at a time because oat flour is a little more delicate than wheat flour batter. Just like regular pancakes, they were ready to flip after getting golden brown on the sides. However, the batter won't bubble as much as you might be used to seeing so keep a close watch. I kept them over a low heat so they needed a few minutes to cook through.

Side Note:
I have been substituting coconut oil for vegetable and olive oils in my recipes (including this one) because the body recognizes it as a sugar rather than a fat. I'm sharing this fun fact because sugars burn quickly as apposed to fats which are the last thing in the body to burn and are normally stored. Some coconut oils are going to have a stronger taste than others (the more natural brands will give more coconut taste than expeller pressed.)  Not to worry though; in this recipe, the coconut oil adds a nice "buttery" flavor  and texture.


This recipe will yield about 4 servings. Enjoy, Friends!

Grilled Strawberries, Yum!

Last weekend, my boyfriend and I went camping in Lake George, NY. We're regulars at the Hearthstone Campground which neighbors Bayfront Cottages, a spot my family has been going to every year for as long as I can remember.


Everyone knows that the best part of camping is the campfire- and even more specifically, the food that you prepare on the campfire. This year, of course, I had to come prepared to camp vegan style. My favorite way to prepare veggies is to grill them so it wasn't so difficult to plan for lunches and dinners. However, when it cam time to roast the marshmallows, I was slightly disappointed. I hate to admit it, but the thought did cross my mind to sneak one or two. But there was no need. I had just seen a post on Pinterest about grilled fruit and I was pretty curious. I had heard of grilling pineapple before, especially with a ham, but this board had everything from bananas to kiwis so I thought it was worth getting creative!

 

Luckily, we had packed strawberries so they got to be our guinea pig. We picked up a disposable grill grate that we propped right on top of our campfire and placed thinly sliced strawberry pieces on top. It wasn't long before we had to flip them and in a matter of minutes they were ready to be taken off the fire. I let them cool a bit but they smelt so good they were still steaming when I took the first bite! It was just like pie filling, sugary and warm. I was no longer craving s'mores and could only focus on making the next batch! I can't wait to go camping again so I can try different fruits!