Granola & Banana Pancakes

I know it's only Tuesday, but I'm already looking forward to the weekend. The forecast for this weekend is looking sunny and relatively cool - perfect for a lazy, relaxing brunch on the patio. 

I developed this recipe using a product that I make right here in Michigan (Three Little Birds All Natural Granola) and whole wheat pastry flour, but you could substitute muesli (but I don't know why you'd want to...TLB granola makes thes pancakes IRRESISTIBLE because of all of the delicious ingredients we use in the recipe).

Don't skip the step of soaking the granola overnight in the buttermilk. It's also important to allow the batter to rest for 15 minutes before cooking. I used a cast iron skillet with great results, but you can use a non-stick pan, sprayed with cooking spray to keep the pancakes from scorching and sticking to the surface of the pan. I also like to spray the measuring cup I use to scoop the batter out of the bowl. 

If you're looking for Three Little Birds Granola, you can buy a bag right here in Northville at Healthy Jones, at Joe's Produce Gourmet Market, or at The Produce Station and Morgan & York in Ann Arbor!

Enjoy!

• 2/3 cup  Three Little Birds Granola (Lois's Favorite flavor)
• 1 1/2 cup Lowfat Buttermilk
• 1/2 ripe banana, peeled and mashed
• 1 egg
• 2 Tb. dark brown sugar
• 2 Tb. canola oil
• 2/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. kosher salt

Pure Michigan Maple syrup for drizzling
1/2 banana, sliced for garnish
fresh blueberries (optional) for garnish

Method:

Soak the granola in the buttermilk overnight in the refrigerator.

In the morning, remove the soaked granola from the fridge and set aside. In a small bowl, mash half of a banana, and mix with the egg, oil, and brown sugar. Add the granola/buttermilk mixture to this and stir to combine.

In a separate bowl, blend the whole wheat pastry flour with the baking soda and salt. Fold this into the banana and granola mixture until JUST COMBINED - do NOT over-mix! Allow the batter to rest for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare a cast iron pan or griddle to cook the pancakes. If you do not have a cast iron pan or griddle, just use a non-stick pan. Heat the skillet over medium to high heat. Brush it lightly with oil or spray with cooking spray. 

Spoon 1/4 cup of batter into the pan and allow to cook until the edges are set, about 3 minutes. You may need to adjust  your heat up or down to get the perfect temperature to brown the pancakes and cook them thoroughly without burning them.  When the edges are set, flip the pancakes and cook on the other side to golden brown.

Remove from the skillet and garnish with the rest of the banana and a small amount of pure maple syrup.

Yield: 12 - 14 small pancakes (4" diameter)
** a serving is 2 pancakes**