This weekend, I decided to shake up our usual Sunday morning pancake routine with some added bananas and toasted pecans. With vegan baking (pan baking? Are pancakes baked? Fried?), I often find a recipe that works and then CLING TO IT AND NEVER LET GO. I don’t want weeks of forcing down rubber til I find just the right recipe.

And so it was with pancakes. Except, well, we always have bananas and usually have container of nuts floating around. Why not try something new? I adapted this recipe from a non-vegan version, and as (vegan baking) luck would have it, these were perfection on the first try. The large quantity of baking powder works to offset the natural heaviness of both the banana and the typical heaviness associated with vegan baked goods. I knew I was heading in the right direction when they puffed up right before my eyes as soon as they hit the pan.

I was going to take some action shots of these suckers going down, but I’m not sure any of us stopped at any point before they were gone. Sure, I could take a photo of the fluffy inside…or I could keep on chowing. Eating, as always, won out.

Vegan Banana and Toasted Pecan Pancakes

2 tablespoons flax seed meal

4 tablespoons warm water

1 1/2 cups flour

3 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 bananas

1 1/4 cup non-dairy milk (I used almond milk)

4 tablespoons butter alternative (I use Earth Balance Soy Free Buttery Spread)

1/2 cup chopped pecans

maple syrup

Place a heavy skillet on low-medium heat. Drizzle with oil and wipe with a paper towel. Tear off a large section of aluminum foil, fold in half, an place in unheated oven (this step isn’t necessary but nice for keeping pancakes warm.)

In a small bowl, mix flax seed meal and water. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. In a medium bowl, mash bananas then add flax seed meal concoction, non-dairy milk, and butter alternative. Mix into dry ingredients.

Put chopped pecans in the heated skillet just until you can smell them toasting then pour into pancake batter.

Now, start making pancakes! The skillet will be hot enough when a sprinkle of water dances across the top. I used a 1/2 cup measuring cup to pour each pancake into the pan. Wait until bubbles form on top and don’t immediately pop, then flip. When it’s golden on both sides, place between aluminum foil in oven.

Enjoy!