Plantain Pancakes (grain free, dairy free, soy free)

Like most of you, I like to take a look on instagram and pinterest to see what little trends and new ideas/alternatives people are exploring and trying out for themselves.  

One particular item that has caught my attention is the idea of a very simple grain free pancake.  For awhile there was a trend of making them simply out of bananas and almond butter.  This is a great idea for a low carb lover but it doesn't particular catch the eye of someone not wanting so much fat, even if it is good fat.  

I feel the newest trend out there can satisfy both the person looking for a low carb and one looking for low fat...thus I introduce to you...

PLANTAINS

They are similar to bananas but have a lower fat and sugar content than bananas.  Most of their calories do come from carbohydrates but they are the good carbs low on the glycemic index.  Listed below is some helpful information on why you shouldn't be afraid of the carbs in plantains. (the key is they have a good amount of fiber...woohoo)

Total Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates provide energy for your body and are the preferred source of energy for your nervous system and your brain. Sugars, starches and fiber are the three types of carbohydrates. A 1-cup serving of sliced cooked plantains contains 48 grams of carbohydrates, or about 16 percent of the daily value for carbohydrates for people following a 2,000-calorie diet.

Sugars

Sugars are simple carbohydrates and are the most quickly digested form of carbohydrates. Plantains contain less sugar than bananas, but still contain 21.6 grams of sugar in each 1-cup serving. Unlike added sugars, you don't need to limit your consumption of the naturally occurring sugars found in fruits and vegetables.

Starches

Plantains contain more starches than any other type of carbohydrate, with 22.9 grams per 1-cup serving. Although starches don't taste sweet, they are made of three or more sugar molecules bound together. They take longer to digest than sugars since these bonds need to be broken by digestive enzymes during the digestive process.

Fiber

The final 3.5 grams of carbohydrate in each serving of plantain consist of fiber. This is 14 percent of the daily value for fiber of 25 grams. Fiber is made up of sugar molecules, but your body can't break the type of bond used to form fiber, so it passes through your digestive tract intact. Although you can't digest fiber, it provides a number of health benefits and lowers your risk for constipation, diverticulosis, hemorrhoids, heart disease, high cholesterol and diabetes.

Source

Now that you are more educated on plantains lets get to the good stuff...a high protein plantain pancake made simple!  This recipe is from my own experimentation, feel free to alter to fit your dietary needs.

PLANTAIN PANCAKES

(serves 1)

-1/2 very ripe medium plantain

-1 cup raw spinach

-1/4 cup liquid egg whites

-pinch backing powder

-1 tsp vanilla extract

-sweeter to taste

1. Blend all ingredients in blender

2. cook on stove over medium to high heat, flipping when pancake starts to bubble.

3. My batch gave me four pancakes

4. Serve on plate and add toppings galore!

Sugar Free Chocolate Syrup

-1 TBSP almond milk

-2 TBSP unsweetened hershey's cocoa

-pinch cinnamon for balancing sugar levels