Pancakes.

Not just any pancakes, my friends, oatmeal-banana goodness.  These are my new favorite pancakes.  Let's be real for a sec...if you know me, you know that I go through pancake recipes like I go through chocolate chip cookie recipes.   I just can't settle until I've found the best.  And BELIEVE ME!!!  I've tried them all.  Pancakes and chocolate chip cookies, I mean.

On to the recipe.  This is my adaption from several recipes I've used over the years.  You should make them just like this or they won't turn out and then you'll think it's a bad recipe.  So listen to me, ok?  I have pancake experience.

Ingredients:
1 cup old fashioned oats
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp aluminum free baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs
2 very ripe bananas
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cup rice milk (or whatever milk you fancy)
2 tbs melted coconut oil (or butter if you don't have any...but you should invest in some because it is great)

First things first.  When I say very ripe, I don't mean spekled with brown spots.  That is just ripe enough to eat...I'm talking black bananas.  If this is not your thing, then you have found the wrong recipe.

Directions:
1.  Pulse all dry ingredients in your blender until oats are smooth.  Pour them into a mixing bowl.
2.  Add wet ingredients to blender and blend until smooth.  Please, PLEASE do not blend your wet and dry ingredients together in the blender.  That will make for some tough pancakes.
3. Preheat you pan to medium/medium high heat.  I don't use a griddle, but that is just personal preference.   I find when you are working with bananas that lower heat and longer in the pan is better.
4.  Mix your wet and dry ingredients just before you start to pour because the batter will thicken as it sits.  Best if its not given the chance to thicken.

5.  Pour onto un-greased pan and cook about a minute on the first side and about 30 seconds on the second (or until desired done-ness).  Contrary to what you may think, you do NOT need butter or grease in your pan to cook pancakes. You'll get a more even brown if you don't use it.  When they pull away from your pan, they are ready to flip, if they are stuck to the pan, they need more time (this is, of course, only true if you have decent pans).

We like ours with a little unsweetened coconut on top and we typically use agave instead of syrup, but pure maple syrup is delicious as well.

Enjoy!