Peanut Butter Banana Protein Pancakes

The garden is up. The first green shoots broke through the soil Tuesday morning, and I stood at the kitchen window with my coffee and watched them the way I imagine God watches creation — with satisfaction and a little bit of surprise, because even when you know the seeds are in the ground, the growing still feels like a miracle. The tomato plants are two inches tall. The okra is pushing through. The collard greens are already asserting themselves because collard greens are like Simms women — they do not wait to be invited, they just show up and take over.

This was a steady week, the kind of week that does not make headlines but makes a life. Monday I made chicken and rice for the shut-in deliveries. Tuesday I cleaned the church kitchen. Wednesday I cooked for Bible study supper: meatloaf, mashed potatoes, green beans, cornbread. Thursday I visited Sister Arlene, who has been under the weather, and brought her a pot of chicken soup that I made from the bones of Sunday's roasted chicken. Friday I baked three loaves of banana bread because I had bananas that were past the point of eating but not past the point of purpose, and banana bread is the resurrection of overripe fruit.

Calvin is in a spring mood, which for Calvin means he is sermon-planning with more energy than usual and quoting more Scripture at dinner than is strictly necessary. I love him in spring. I love him in every season, but in spring he is lighter, more playful, more willing to laugh at himself, which is a quality I appreciate in a man who spends most of his professional life being serious about God. God has a sense of humor. I am sure of it. I am married to proof.

Marcus got a letter from the Tuskegee summer program with his schedule and dormitory assignment. He showed it to me at the kitchen table, and his face was lit up with the kind of excitement that is contagious — I caught it, I held it, I let it fill me up even as the other thing, the leaving thing, sat in my stomach like a stone. He leaves in July. Three months. I have three months of packing his lunch and making his dinner and hearing him come through the door after school. I will not count them. Counting them makes them smaller. I will live them. Every one.

Made a fresh strawberry cake this weekend because strawberries are in season and because beauty deserves to be eaten. Three layers of vanilla cake with fresh strawberry filling and strawberry cream cheese frosting. It took all Saturday afternoon and it was worth every minute. Marcus ate two slices. Calvin ate three. Nobody asked how many I ate. A woman is entitled to her secrets, and one of mine is that I always eat the first slice standing at the counter before anyone else knows the cake is done.

Friday’s banana bread got me thinking about all the ways a ripe banana can become something beautiful — and when Saturday morning came around and I still had one soft banana left on the counter, I wasn’t about to let it go to waste. These peanut butter banana protein pancakes carry the same spirit as that loaf: nothing past its purpose, everything made with intention. With Marcus’s summer growing closer every day, I find myself wanting to put something warm and filling in front of him at every meal I can, and this breakfast does exactly that.

Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 20 minutes | Servings: 2 (about 6 pancakes)

Ingredients

1 large ripe banana, mashed
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons natural peanut butter
1/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon coconut oil or butter, for the pan
Optional toppings: sliced banana, a drizzle of honey, or a spoonful of peanut butter

Instructions

Mash the banana. In a medium mixing bowl, mash the ripe banana thoroughly with a fork until smooth with as few lumps as possible. The riper the banana, the sweeter your pancakes will naturally be.
Mix the batter. Add the eggs, peanut butter, Greek yogurt, and vanilla extract to the mashed banana. Stir until well combined. Add the rolled oats, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt, and stir again until a thick, cohesive batter forms. Let the batter rest for 2 minutes so the oats can absorb the moisture.
Heat the pan. Warm a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium-low heat. Add the coconut oil or butter and swirl to coat the surface evenly. These pancakes cook best on a gentler heat than traditional pancakes — resist the urge to rush them.
Cook the pancakes. Drop the batter by heaping tablespoons (about 3 tablespoons per pancake) onto the skillet. Gently press each portion into a round about 3 inches across. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the edges look set and the bottoms are golden. Flip carefully and cook another 1 to 2 minutes on the second side. Repeat with remaining batter.
Serve warm. Stack the pancakes on a plate and add any toppings you like. A little honey and a few slices of fresh banana go a long way. Serve immediately for the best texture.

Nutrition (per serving)

Peanut Butter Banana Protein Pancakes — When the Bananas Are Past Their Prime but Not Past Their Purpose