Grain Free Apple Cinnamon Almond Butter Pancakes with Balsamic Banana Sauce

All photography by August Nyson. See all her beautiful work here

Recipe originally printed in the August '18 edition of Women's Lifestyle Magazine. Check it out here here

Fluffy, satisfying pancakes with surprising ingredients that will keep you warm on crisp autumn mornings. Cover or stuff these with cinnamon apples and balsamic banana sauce for textures and flavors that will keep you coming back for more.

Gluten free, grain free, dairy free, egg free, vegan

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp chia seeds, soaked in 1 cup water

6 Tbsp non-dairy milk

1 lemon

2 large bananas

2 tsp vanilla extract

4 Tbsp almond butter

1 1/3 Cup banana flour

½ cup coconut sugar

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp baking soda

1 apple, cut into ¼” slices

1 tsp or more cinnamon

Non-dairy butter for cooking

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl, combine non-dairy milk with juice from ½ lemon. Stir and let sit to curdle.
2. In a blender, add soaked chia seeds and water, non-dairy buttermilk, bananas, vanilla extract, and almond butter. Blend on high until mixture is creamy and chia seeds are pulverized. Set aside.
3. In a mixing bowl, whisk together banana flour, coconut sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. Once combined, slowly pour in liquid mixture from blender. Fold  batter together and set aside for immediate use, or store in refrigerator for use up to one day ahead.
4. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add a small amount of butter or oil. 
5. In a separate mixing bowl, toss apple slices in remaining ½ lemon juice and cinnamon. Add apples into skillet, flat side down. Allow to sautee until al dente and golden brown on both sides, flipping once halfway through. Remove apples from pan and set aside for pancakes.
6. Heat a large skillet to medium-low. Melt a small amount of non-dairy butter in pan. Once heated, add 1/8 cup of pancake batter to pan per cake. Add one sautéed apple slice to each cake and allow to cook slowly. Flip once half way through cooking. 
7. Serve pancakes with balsamic banana sauce, more sautéed apples, and optional pumpkin spice roasted almonds.

Balsamic Banana Sauce

½ cup Avocado oil

¼ Agave

1/8 cup balsamic vinegar

1/8 cup apple cider vinegar

2 large bananas

Instructions:

1. In a mixing bowl, whisk together oil, agave, balsamic and apple cider vinegars. Transfer to a large sautee pan and heat over medium.
2. Slice bananas and add all slices into pan. Allow to simmer untouched for 7-10 minutes. Bananas will begin to soften and caramelize, and will become coated in sauce. 
3. Gently begin to stir mixture in pan to break down bananas into the sauce. They will remain slightly chunky. When finished, sauce will be the consistency of apple butter.
4. Enjoy freshly heated or set aside and use cooled.