D Magazine intern Michelle Saunders is moving on to bigger and better opportunities, so this will be her last recipe… for now. Last week she brought you these (un)healthy Mexican chocolate cupcakes, and this week she conquers breakfast.
I made this for Mother’s Day brunch, and my non-vegetarian mother enjoyed it immensely. Using bananas as an egg substitute is a trusty vegan trick that works surprisingly well to help leaven baked goods. This simple blueberry sauce makes a stack of ordinary pancakes feel like a gourmet treat and it only takes minutes to make. Serve with freshly squeezed orange juice mimosas for maximum breakfast pleasure!
Pancake Ingredients:
1 c. flour (can use half wheat if you like)
2 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 Tbs. sugar
1 banana, mashed
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. almond milk
Blueberry Syrup Ingredients:
2 c. fresh or frozen blueberries
½ c. water
¼-½ c. sugar*
2 Tbs. cornstarch
2 Tbs. water
1 tsp. vanilla
¼ c. fresh orange juice**
3 Tbs. orange zest
Pancake Instructions
- Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl.
- Add milk, oil, vanilla, and mashed banana.
- On a preheated and greased griddle, scoop ¼ c. of batter for each pancake and cook until golden brown on each side.
Blueberry Syrup Instructions
Combine cornstarch and 2 Tbs. water in a small bowl and set aside. In a medium saucepan combine blueberries, water, and sugar over medium heat. Stirring frequently, bring mixture to a low boil then reduce heat. Add cornstarch mixture to blueberry mixture and stir slowly. Let mixture simmer until appropriate thickness is reached (about 5-10 minutes). Remove mixture from heat and add fresh juice, vanilla, and orange zest.
*The amount of sugar you use should depend on how tart or sweet your berries are and can be adjusted to suit your taste.
**If you don’t have oranges you can use lemons and lemon zest for an equally delicious sauce.