Gluten-free blueberry, banana and vanilla pancakes

Ingredients

• 2 medium-sized ripe bananas
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp ground cardamom seeds (optional)
• 150 g/5 oz/¾ cup blueberries
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp maple or golden syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla sugar or icing (confectioner’s) sugar

Method

You would never guess these lacy, delicate pancakes contain no grains nor any type of flour. They are gluten-free and high in protein.

They are so easy and quick to make if you have a stick blender, or a liquidiser, and a non-stick frying pan. The weight and size of bananas vary considerably and it is worth weighing them before you start. A medium-sized ripe banana with its skin on weighs about 150 g/5 oz, and this is the size we have based this recipe on.

Use bananas that are ripe, but not over-ripe with black patches.

Peel the bananas and place them in a tall jug or liquidiser. Add the eggs, vanilla and ground cardamom, if using. 

Liquidise these ingredients and leave the batter to settle for 5 minutes. The mixture can be quite frothy at this stage and the bubbles need to disperse a little before cooking. 

Just before you are about to cook the pancakes, stir in 100 g/3 oz/½ cup of the blueberries.

Heat a large non-stick frying pan and, with a piece of kitchen paper, wipe oil around the pan. 

Pour 2 tbsp of batter into the pan for each pancake. You should be able to fit 4 small pancakes in a pan and each pancake should measure about 10 cm/4 in across.

Cook the pancakes for 2 minutes or until just set. Flip the pancakes over and cook for a further 2 minutes.

Serve the pancakes with extra blueberries, a drizzle of syrup and a dusting of vanilla sugar.

Recipe from Cooking for the Sensitive Gut by Dr Joan Ransley and Dr Nick Read, published by Pavilion, RRP £16.99. Recipe photography by Dr Joan Ransley.

See our gluten-free recipe section for more wheat-free recipes.