Buckwheat, Banana, Oatmeal, Dark Chocolate Pancakes {Naturally Gluten Free!}

I would like to present to you the fluffiest and most flavorful pancakes you will ever eat, all thanks to my new discovery of the wonderful superfood: buckwheat.  It's amazing that it took me so long to discover it seeing as how I've been eating gluten free for like five years, but what was I supposed to think? It's called buckWHEAT. I would have to be crazy to think that it was gluten free (um... right?).

Samuel actually first discovered it when we were in a health food store getting some high gluten flour (shudder) for his bagels.

"Hey, do you want to get this?" he asked, throwing a bag of buckwheat on top of his armfuls of wheat flour.

I recoiled in horror and then swatted it to the ground, "Are you trying to poison your wife?!"

"It says gluten free on it."

"What?! Impossible!"


 



As it turns out, he was not trying to murder me. Buckwheat actually has no relation to wheat and therefore was stupidly named. It's actually not even a grain. But it is loaded with all kinds of nutrients and health benefits, not to mention, amazing flavor.

As soon as I first made a buckwheat pancake the next day, I was amazed. I messaged my (also gluten free) Dad, telling him about my amazing new discovery.

The reply was, "Just ordered some."

So decided to make a recipe for him so that when the package comes he's not standing there with four bags of buckwheat in his hands not knowing what to do.

The first pancake I made was 100% buckwheat flour. It was awesome, but the nutty buckwheat flavor (as delicious as it is) was a little too powerful. I knew right away that the sweet, hearty flavor of oats would be the perfect thing to soften it up. And of course some dark chocolate and bananas never hurt either. 

I don't really feel bad for the obnoxious amount of chocolate chunks I put in these. I think I read somewhere once that dark chocolate is good for you.

Yeah, I think it said it's even more healthy than vegetables. I'm pretty sure it said that. 

Stay tuned on all my Berlin adventures and recipes by following on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest or following by email by enter your email address in the top right hand sidebar!

• Buckwheat, Banana, Oatmeal, Dark Chocolate Pancakes
• 
  Makes seven small pancakes 
•  
• 1/2 of a banana (should make about 3 1/2 tablespoons mashed)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 6 tablespoons milk (or dairy free milk)
• 1/4 cup buckwheat flour (you can buy it here)
• 1/4 cup quick cooking oats (if you need GF you can buy them here)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder 
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 1/4 teapsoon salt
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped dark chocolate (more or less to your preference)
•  
• Preheat your griddle or pan to medium heat. 
• Mash the banana and add the vanilla and milk. Add in the dry ingredients and mix them together a little bit on top of the wet ingredients before you stir it all together. 
• Mix the wet and dry ingredients well (don't worry, you can't over-mix gluten free pancakes). 
• Stir in the chocolate chunks. 
• Lightly butter the pan or skillet and scoop the pancakes on. I used two tablespoons of batter per pancake. 
• Cook until bubbles appear on the top and pop. Then flip the pancake and cook until the edges are dry. 
• Serve with honey or maple syrup and banana slices. 
• Store leftovers in the refrigerator (if you have any). They actually make a good snack cold, especially when they are pre-saturated with honey (or maybe that's just the pregnant mama speaking in me).