AIP blueberry plantain pancakes, egg-free and nut-free, breakfast

The original leans on eggs and a half cup of cashew butter for body, and neither one fits here. What is left is plantain, banana, and a gelatin egg doing the structural work, with blueberries stirred through right before the batter hits the pan so they stay whole instead of turning everything purple.

Blueberries are a well-studied source of polyphenols, plant compounds that support a calmer immune response over time. The plantain and banana underneath are doing quieter work: resistant starch for your gut bacteria, potassium for steady, even fluid balance.

Without the cashew butter, expect a thinner batter than a standard pancake needs. Blend in an extra ripe banana if it looks loose, keep the rounds small, and let each one set fully before you flip it. Delicate is fine here. It does not need to be sturdy to be good.

Watch the batter turn faint blue as the berries cook through, and let that be a small, ordinary kind of beautiful on your plate this morning.

Ingredients

• 1 green plantain
• 2 small bananas (add a third if the batter is thin)
• 1 gelatin egg (1 tbsp gelatin whisked into 3 tbsp warm water)
• 3 tbsp coconut oil, plus more for the pan
• 2 tsp alcohol-free vanilla
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/8 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 cup blueberries (fresh, or thawed frozen, or drained canned)

Method

Make the gelatin egg first: whisk the gelatin into the warm water until it dissolves and thickens, then set it aside.

Peel and roughly chop the plantain and bananas. Add them to a high-speed blender with the coconut oil, alcohol-free vanilla, baking soda, sea salt, and the gelatin egg. Blend until smooth. If the batter looks thin, blend in one more peeled green banana.

Warm a skillet or griddle over medium-high heat with a little coconut oil.

Stir the blueberries into the batter by hand, then pour roughly quarter-cup rounds. Cook until the underside is golden, then flip and finish the second side. Serve warm.

A note on the swaps

Dropping the cashew butter and using a gelatin egg makes a softer, more delicate pancake than the original. Keep the rounds small, cook them through before flipping, and they will hold.

*Adapted from acleanplate.com*