Makin’ banana pancakes

Mmm... banana pancakes.

So we’re only a few days away from the first official day of spring, which means as Halifax residents you’re going to have a lot of rain on your hands for the next little while. Which is probably for the best, since spring coincides with exam season, and you probably need all the help you can get to stay motivated. Nice weather is distracting, and we can’t have that!
But while you’re hibernating with your books, looking at the rain outside your window, you may suddenly find yourself humming the lyrics of Jack Johnson’s “Banana Pancakes” (“can’t you see that it’s just raining / ain’t no need to go outside…”). And if that happens, you may suddenly find yourself craving a stack of banana pancakes of your very own. In which case, you’re in luck! I just so happen to have a recipe for banana pancakes to share with you today. An easy recipe. With chocolate chips. That doesn’t even come from a box! If I know students like I think I do, you probably have a couple of sad looking bananas on top of your fridge or in your fruit bowl that you bought while feeling virtuous one day, but never ate. With one of those sad bananas and a few basic baking ingredients, you’ll be all set to make a batch of these delicious breakfast delicacies.

Here’s the recipe!

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup skim milk (I’m sure any other milk will work just fine too though)
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large banana, diced
• 1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips (or regular sized chocolate chips, but be warned that full size chips might melt all over your frying pan)
• cooking spray/butter/oil – whatever you usually use to grease the pan when you make pancakes

Directions

1. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Set bowl aside. In a separate bowl, whisk together the skim milk, melted butter, eggs, sugar, and vanilla (don’t panic if the sugar gets all clumpy when you add it in, this happened to me, and the pancakes turned out fine). Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and stir in the wet ingredients, being careful not to over mix the batter. Gently fold in the banana and chocolate chips.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and coat with cooking spray, melted butter, or cooking oil. Pour 1/4 cupfuls of batter onto the skillet, and cook until bubbles appear on the surface. Flip with a spatula, and cook until browned on the other side. The first rule of pancakes? The first one is always a disaster, don’t be discouraged.
3. You should get about 9 pancakes out of this recipe. Serve with butter, maple syrup, or your favourite pancake toppings. It’s not the healthiest meal, but as an occasional treat, it’s fantastic!