If you’re looking for a pancake recipe that uses minimal ingredients, comes together quickly, will leave you full until lunch and still tastes amazing then say hello to these banana oat protein pancakes.
This past year I’ve got myself into the habit of starting the day off with a good bowl or plate of food. But, when I’m working during the week, I’m just not up for faffing about in the kitchen for ages before my morning coffee has had a chance to bring me properly back to life.
So, when it comes to weekday breakfasts, the two rules are that it has to 1) involve minimal faff and 2) take under half an hour to prepare. And that’s why I love these pancakes during the week, because you just chuck everything into a blender and the batter’s ready for spooning into a hot frying pan in about a minute. Minimal effort and very manageable for your groggy morning self!
Banana oat protein pancakes in a blender?
Save on the washing up! No need to make your own oat flour first or get out the mixing bowl, just pop everything into the blender and that’s that. The only thing I don’t add to the blender is the baking soda and lemon juice. When baking soda is introduced to acid it starts to react immediately, so I prefer to add it and the lemon juice just before the batter goes into the pan.
How many pancakes does this recipe make?
I usually get five medium-sized pancakes out of this recipe. Or you can make three larger pancakes. But, aesthetically speaking, I think the optimal number for a stack is five.
How much protein is in these pancakes?
There is 36g of protein in these pancakes – although this will vary depending on the protein powder you use. I like to have them with some Greek yoghurt and/or peanut butter, which ups the protein even more! Aside from fitness goals, having a protein-packed breakfast is always a good start to the day.
Fun fact: I used to think I wasn’t a breakfast person at all. One of the reasons for this was because I found if I ate breakfast I’d be way more hungry throughout the rest of the day. But actually, I wasn’t eating the right things – or enough – for breakfast. Now that I eat way more satiating (and exciting!) breakfasts I don’t find my hunger levels are all over the place later in the day.
Is this recipe gluten-free or vegan friendly?
It is indeed! If you’re not able to eat gluten just make sure to use specified gluten-free oats. Oats are naturally gluten-free but many are produced in factories where the risk of cross-contamination with gluten products is high.
As for vegans, you can use any type of vegan protein powder but you may have to play around with the amount in case it has a stronger taste that could overpower. You may also need more milk as I’ve read that plant-based protein powders can be more absorbent.
Can I make the batter/pancakes in advance?
The batter isn’t suitable for making in advance because oats just love to absorb moisture – because of that I wouldn’t even leave this batter sitting for very long, use it immediately. You could make the pancakes in advance and reheat or even freeze them, but they are always going to be best served fresh out of the pan!
Let’s talk texture
If you want to make the lightest, fluffiest, most float-on-a-cloud sorta pancakes then I’m not going to pretend that these fit that criteria. They’re not super light, but nor are they dense! There are a lot of banana oat pancake recipes out there that claim to make really fluffy pancakes, and I find that doesn’t tend to hold true. Some I’ve even found to be quite stodgy, which was what I set out to avoid with this recipe (and I think I succeeded!).
I’ve tested this recipe with both baking powder and baking soda and find that the baking soda makes for the best and lightest texture. You could use either, though, just leave out the lemon juice if using baking powder.
If you make this then please let me know, I’d love to see! You can tag me on Instagram using @glasgowsprout. And make sure to check out my other recipes!
Banana oat protein pancakes (easy blender recipe)
These banana oat protein pancakes really do get the day off to a good start. They're quick and easy to make first thing in the morning, involve minimal washing up, and are sure to keep you full and energised until lunch!
Ingredients
- 30g vanilla protein powder
- 60g oats
- 3/4medium banana (reserve 1/4 for topping)
- 100ml milk
- 1/4tsp baking soda
- 1tsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Heat a large non-stick frying pan on medium heat.
- Add the protein powder, oats, banana and milk to a blender. Blend on medium setting until smooth.
- Add the baking soda and lemon juice to the batter and give it a stir to incorporate.
- When the pan is hot, spoon or pour the batter in to make three medium pancakes. If things tend to catch on your pan add a little butter or oil to prevent the pancakes from sticking.
- Cook both sides for 1-2 minutes and repeat with the rest of the mixture. If the pancakes are getting too dark before they're ready just turn down the heat a little.
- Serve with whatever toppings your heart desires!
