Banana Buttermilk Chia Chocolate Chip Pancakes

This weekend my kids requested pancakes as usual. I use a recipe that calls for buttermilk, which I always use 3/4 cup of milk mixed with 2 tbsp of white vinegar in place of.

I mixed up my "buttermilk" and realized we were out of eggs. Oops. I was also out of applesauce.

A quick google search said I could use half a mashed banana. I was actually making a double batch, but I didn't want it to be too banana-y, so I still just used half a banana. Then, afraid it wouldn't be binding enough, I sprinkled in a tbsp of chia seeds over the mashed banana.

These pancakes turned out so well! The texture was even softer and fluffier than usual.

Recipe (serves my family of 4, plus 2 - 3 leftover pancakes):

Mix 1.5 cups milk with 4 tbsp white vinegar. Let sit while you combine other ingredients.

In a large mixing bowl, mash half a banana up, sprinkle 1 tbsp chia seeds over the banana.

Add: 2 cups flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt, 3 tbsp sugar

Mix well

Add: milk mixture, 2 tbsp canola oil

Mix until you have a smooth batter

Spray non stick pan with Pam, add a ladle full of batter, add chocolate chips (I do five chocolate chips per pancake) and cook until the edges start to firm up. Since these are so fluffy, they seem to be a little harder to flip - harder to get the spatula under the edge. So be gentle!!

Cook on the other side for a few minutes, then stack them up and enjoy!!

I am such a sucker, I let my kids talk me into making special character pancakes all the time. This weekend it was Donald and Daisy Duck for the little one, and Sonic for the older one. I should post those pictures some time!!

A few weeks ago, I spelled the letters of my little ones name in pancake letters. Time consuming? Yes. Something they will look back on and remember fondly? I hope so!