Caffè Mocha Pancakes
I was badly craving chocolate pancakes the other day and knew I just had to make a batch real soon - and so I did. With chocolate and coffee flavour a.k.a mocha pancakes!
My go-to vegan pancake recipe has always had a banana mixed into the batter, but I thought that I wanted to change things up a bit and cook a simple chocolate pancake, without the banana. Safe to say, I love how these turned out! I'm not much of a coffee drinker, but I love coffee flavoured desserts. When paired with chocolate, it gives an added depth of chocolatey goodness that is to die for!
I love this more because these are basically "slimming" chocolate pancakes. They're not made with the typical store-bought coffee, but the ever-so-famous green coffee! Made with whole grains and wholesome ingredients too! Now you can have your carbs and eat it too.
Plus, green coffee beans are loaded with the active compound: chlorogenic acid. It's been proven to lower blood sugar and insulin spikes by reducing the absorption of carbohydrate from digestive tract. What better way to get your green coffee fix than with these pancakes!? Now you have another excuse to stack up your pancake tower high, since.. only parts of the carbs from these pancakes will be absorbed by the body, right!?!? ;)
That magic active compound's only found in green coffee though! When the beans are roasted, the chlorogenic acid is removed and all you coffee enthusiasts surely knows that all store bought coffee beans are roasted. What better way to drink your green coffee than with these pancakes!?
I must say that the chocolate syrup really seals this dish. It gives an extra sweetness that balances the pancake's bittersweet mocha flavour - and as we all know, you can't have pancakes without that heavenly drippy drizzle of syrup!
Caffè Mocha Pancakes
Makes 5-6 pancakes
Dry Ingredients
1 cup rolled oats (can sub 1/4 cup with your favourite protein powder or quinoa flour)
2 tbsp potato starch, arrowroot or cornstarch
1 tbsp ground flaxseed
1-2 tsp Herbilogy's green coffee powder
2 tbsp cacao powder
2 tsp baking powder
Wet Ingredients
2 tbsp honey, maple syrup or coconut nectar
3/4 cup milk of choice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp coconut oil + 1 tsp for frying
1 tsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice (optional, but this will give the pancakes an extra fluff)
Chocolate Syrup
6 squares dark chocolate
4 tsp honey, maple syrup or coconut nectar
1-2 tsp milk of choice
Topping
1/2 a banana, sliced into coins
Cacao nibs, chocolate chips, bee pollen, peanut butter, anything you want!
Directions
1. Place all dry ingredients into a blender and blend until finely ground.
2. Once finely grounded, add in all the wet ingredients except apple cider vinegar. Blend until smooth.
3. The batter will be a little runny at first. Let sit for 10-15 minutes so the oats & flaxseed can start absorbing the liquid. It will start to thicken as it sits. If the batter becomes too thick, add 1-3 tbsp of milk at a time, being careful not too thin it out too much.
4. After the batter thickens, add in the apple cider vinegar and quickly blitz to incorporate.
5. Prepare your griddle. Lightly grease a thin layer of coconut oil on your griddle or frying pan and heat.
6. Using a ladle, pour the pancake mixture into 2 inch rounds. Cook for 1-2 minutes on each side, flipping when bubbles appear on top and the edges are slightly dry. Be careful not too burn.
7. To make the chocolate syrup, simply melt 6 squares of dark chocolate in a microwave for 30-45 seconds or on a double boiler for 3-5 minutes, be careful not to burn. Then add in 4 tsp of honey and 1 tsp of milk into the melted chocolate and stir until well combined with no lumps. If needed, add another 1 tsp of milk to loosen.
8. When all the pancakes are done cooking, stack them on top of each other, layering sliced banana coins in between and a tsp of syrup in the middle. If you want an extra indulgent breakfast, add a dollop of peanut butter in between for an extra indulgent treat! Drizzle with chocolate syrup on top and sprinkle with your topping of choice. Now enjoy your "diet" pancakes ;)
