AIP Cassava Flour Pancakes

Pancakes without eggs sound like they should not work, and enough failed batches of dense, gummy discs prove that skepticism earned. This one earns your trust back with baking soda and cream of tartar doing the lifting eggs usually do, so the batter actually puffs instead of flattening into something sad on the pan.

The mashed banana that replaces the egg is pulling double duty. Potassium comes along with it, a mineral your muscles and your nervous system depend on every day, and one of the quieter things to run low on once packaged snacks stop filling in the gaps. A little natural sweetness comes along too, which is why the recipe needs only 2 tablespoons of added sugar.

Make a full batch and keep the extras in the fridge to reheat through the week, so this does not have to live only on Sunday mornings when there is time to slow down. Warm fruit and a little maple on top is enough to make an ordinary Tuesday breakfast feel like it was worth sitting down for.

Ingredients

• 1 cup cassava flour
• 1/4 cup tapioca starch
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 + 1/8 cups coconut milk (or tigernut milk or banana milk)
• 1/3 cup mashed banana (about 1 small banana; or substitute unsweetened applesauce)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons coconut sugar or maple sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla powder (see note below)
• Coconut oil or avocado oil for the pan

Vanilla note: The original recipe calls for vanilla extract, which is alcohol-based and excluded on strict AIP elimination. Vanilla powder (ground vanilla bean) gives the same flavor and is AIP-compliant.

Method

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the cassava flour, tapioca starch, cream of tartar, baking soda, and sea salt.
2. Add the coconut milk, mashed banana, coconut sugar, and vanilla powder to the dry ingredients. Stir until a smooth batter forms with no dry pockets.
3. Add the apple cider vinegar and stir quickly to combine. The vinegar activates the leavening immediately, so move to the pan without delay.
4. Heat a skillet or griddle over medium heat. Add a small amount of coconut oil or avocado oil and swirl to coat.
5. Pour roughly 1/4 cup of batter per pancake onto the hot skillet. Cook until bubbles appear across the surface and the edges look set, about 2 to 3 minutes.
6. Flip carefully and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes until the underside is lightly golden.
7. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining batter, adding a little more oil between batches as needed.
8. Serve warm with fresh fruit, a drizzle of maple syrup, or coconut whipped cream.

Meal prep: Cooked pancakes keep in the refrigerator for 4 days. Reheat in a dry skillet over low heat or in a toaster oven. They also freeze well between sheets of parchment.

*Adapted from Thriving On Paleo*