plate of pancakes! i went a little overboard on the maple syrup.
I really struggled with how to start this post:
“I freakin love plantains!”
“You know how it seems like a rule that the first pancake always gets ruined?”
“I’m sorry I kept this to myself for so long…”
I do, it’s not, and I am.
Early this spring, I created this recipe for plantain pancakes for backpacking. It is not strict AIP (has egg, which I tested okay for) and I hope to create version that is egg-free. I wanted to make it Bacon Plantain Pancakes – you know, with tasty crunchy bacon bits in the mix, all doused in maple syrup. I haven’t gotten the bacon part dialed in yet (admittedly due to general sloth), and I stopped carrying my no-stick pan on the trail, so I shelved this one to focus on some other recipes. I feel kinda bad about that. These cakes are amazing.
I had these pancakes for breakfast at my house this morning. I’m always so impressed with how well they turn out! My housemate, who is not Paleo, even says these pancakes rock. So, even tho I haven’t gotten the bacon part worked out yet I figured I’d better get this recipe on the blog so y’all can use it!
The first pancake comes out perfect!
What’s so great about these pancakes?
The first one works. Really. That old rule that the first pancake ends up in the trash? Not here!
They have great texture. Whether you make them thin or thick, they are airy yet solid enough to hold their shape and handle a dousing with your favorite additions such as maple syrup, honey, fruit or applesauce.
They aren’t a gut bomb. When I eat them, I don’t get that old “Uh-oh… I’m eating flour and I know this will be a total gut bomb in thirty minutes but I’m eating it anyhow nomnomnom.” (c’mon, I know you’ve been there).
They brown up real pretty. Admit it, there’s a certain satisfaction in seeing a plate of perfectly browned pancakes.
They actually taste good. Enough said.
NOTE ON PANS: Unless you have mean skillz with a stainless steel pan on the trail, you’d better bring the no-stick version. Just saying. Either way, bring plenty of oil for the cooking. I do fine with these cakes at home using a high-quality stainless fry pan and really even heat. It’s not so easy on the trail to successfully pull off pancakes if you’re using stainless. Trust me. I mean, if you gotta have pancakes on the trail, it’s worth hefting that little no-stick pan just for the occasion.
THE FIRST ONE WILL BE PERFECT IF: You know how it seems like the first pancake is always a wreck? I know it’s not just me! The key is having a pan that’s HOT before you pour that first drop of mix on. Don’t jump the gun. If you wait till it’s hot, then pour the first pancake on, and turn it down and monitor it, you’ll have good luck. That goes for any pancakes, paleo or no.
WHAT ABOUT COCONUT/EGG FREE? Egg is not AIP-strict-complaint, by the way. I’ve been able to successfully reintroduce some eggs – those that are from chickens who are definitely not fed soy or wheat products (I’ve spoken to the local rancher who produces them). Any others I react poorly to. For those of you who can’t eat coconut and/or eggs; sorry, there is coconut and egg in the mix – some day I’d love to come up with a coconut-and-egg-free pancake recipe for the trail – till then, this is what I’ve got.
THATSALOTTAEGGS: The amount of dehydrated eggs in this recipe may seem like a lot to you. I tried different ratios of ingredients, and this ended up making the best texture and taste. And if you think about it, the whole cholesterol-in-eggs-is-bad thing has been debunked. And, one egg only contains about 6g protein; many of us need between 20-40g protein at breakfast just to start the day feeling strong, so four eggs in six pancakes isn’t so shocking. Here’s the how-to on making dehydrated eggs.
THIN OR THICK? In the instructions below, I mention ways to make your cakes thick or thin. Here are some sample photos. You could make them even thinner – I have, and they come out fine. Just keep adding water by the TBS till you get the consistency you like.
The thick version using just the 1/2 cup water added after mixing the eggs into the dry mix.
the thicker pancakes
The thinner version using the 1/2 cup plus 2TBS water added after mixing the eggs into the dry mix.
the thinner pancakes
Plantain Coconut Pancakes for the Trail
Makes four to six 4” pancakes depending on how thick you make the mix
Ingredients
4 dehydrated eggs (not strict AIP)
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup plantain flour
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup coconut milk powder
1 cup plus 2/3 cups water, separated
plenty of coconut oil for cooking pancakes in camp
any toppings you desire; maple, honey, etc.
Preparation Instructions
1. Make sure all the chunks in the coconut milk powder are broken up.
2. Combine the coconut flour, plantain flour, sea salt and coconut milk powder in a bowl, and mix thoroughly.
3. Place the dry mix in a ziploc, and label it.
4. Place the equivalent of 4 dehydrated eggs in a separate ziploc and label it. Each egg equals roughly a big heaping Tablespoon:
5. Package up the coconut oil in a leak-proof container with a re-closable lid.
Campsite Preparation
1. Add the 2/3 cup treated water to the eggs and let sit for five minutes. Stir occasionally. The mix should total about 3/4 cup, and will not resemble freshly beaten eggs.
2. Put the 1 cup of water on the stove to heat it. It’s important for this water not to be cold – hot water helps the dry coconut milk in the mix dissolve best.
3. In a bowl, add the rehydrated eggs to the dry ingredients, and mix well until it forms a thick paste.
4. Remove the hot water from the stove, and put your fry pan on. Set to medium-high, and add a bit of oil for cooking.
5. Add ONE HALF of the hot water to the mix. Stir till even. This will make for thick pancakes (you’ll get about 4 thick ones from the batch).
If you want thin cakes, add more hot water a TBS at a time, until the desired consistency is reached (adding 2 more TBS will produce about 6 thin cakes).
6. Test the pan by tossing a drop of water on – it should sizzle like a hot summer night in in the bayou. Now turn it down a bit.
7. Pour enough mix on the pan to make a 4” cake. Allow the bottom to get golden brown, then flip and cook to perfection.
8. Top with your favorite toppings; maple syrup, honey, nut butter (not strict AIP), applesauce, sliced fruit, etc.
- Add the ⅔ cup treated water to the eggs and let sit for five minutes. Stir occasionally. The mix should total about ¾ cup, and will not resemble freshly beaten eggs.
- Put the 1 cup of water on the stove to heat it. It’s important for this water not to be cold – hot water helps the dry coconut milk in the mix dissolve best.
- In a bowl, add the rehydrated eggs to the dry ingredients, and mix well until it forms a thick paste.
- Remove the hot water from the stove, and put your fry pan on. Set to medium-high, and add a bit of oil for cooking.
- Add ONE HALF of the hot water to the mix. Stir till even. This will make for thick pancakes (you’ll get about 4 thick ones from the batch).
- If you want thin cakes, add more hot water a TBS at a time, until the desired consistency is reached (adding 2 more TBS will produce about 6 thin cakes).
- Test the pan by tossing a drop of water on – it should sizzle like a hot summer night in in the bayou. Now turn it down a bit.
- Pour enough mix on the pan to make a 4” cake. Allow the bottom to get golden brown, then flip and cook to perfection.
- Top with your favorite toppings; maple syrup, honey, nut butter (not strict AIP), applesauce, sliced fruit, etc.
the thicker pancakes
Thank you for your great tutorials and recipes! I’m not a camper-type at all but enjoy your writing and great recipes! For the at-home kitchen, may I use plantain flour with fresh eggs, coconut or almond milk, and carry on to make these pancakes? We aren’t AIP – but paleo/primal/whole90 and counting. I will give this a try soon as soon as my dehydrator arrives. You encouraged me to finally buy one after a year of research and waiting.
Dale – Thanks! I do make these at home with fresh eggs, tho the recipe’s liquid measurement has to change since you have the liquid already in the eggs. In my recipe above, you’ll see the water is split into two parts – 1 cup and 2/3 cup. The 2/3 cup is for rehydrating the eggs back to roughly 3/4 cup. So, leave out that 2/3 cup water. When you whisk the eggs, they should amount to roughly 3/4 cup – if they are more or less, adjust the amount of coconut milk.
The 1 cup of water is to rehydrate the dehydrated coconut milk that’s mixed in with the flours. So, what I’d do is this:
Combine the dry ingredients.
Add 1/2 cup of coconut milk, stirring until just mixed. Don’t over-stir.
Whisk the eggs well and add them. Don’t over-stir.
Then add more milk, one TBS at a time until you reach the desired consistency.
Measure the coconut milk that you add, taking note of the total – then once you get it figured, in the future, add the total coconut milk first and eggs last.
I have not tried it with almond milk – if you experiment with it, I’d love to hear how it turns out! Thanks for visiting Backcountry Paleo!
p.s. – in case you don’t make your own almond milk – it’s really easy to make, and that way you avoid all those icky added things found in packaged almond milk. For a quart of milk:
Soak 1 cup organic almonds overnight.
Drain water off.
If you want to reduce the lectins, remove the skins.
Place the almonds in a blender with 3 cups water.
Blend for 3-5 minutes.
Strain out the solids with a mesh strainer (you can keep them and use in baking).
Refrigerate the milk and use within 4 days.
Nice additions: powdered vanilla bean, and any AIP-friendly sweetener.
* this milk has no stabilizers and may tend to separate in the fridge. just stir and serve.
I’m confused. In step 2 you “Combine the dehydrated eggs, coconut flour, plantain flour, sea salt and coconut milk powder in a bowl, and mix thoroughly”. The you package 4 dehydrated eggs as well. This is a total of 8 eggs. I this right?
Tari –
Oy, good catch! It’s 4 eggs, rehydrated separately. I fixed the text. I’d been experimenting with two ways to do it, and hadn’t deleted the eggs from Step 2.
Thanks so much for pointing that out.
I am wondering if these could be made without eggs? Or what to replace the eggs with? I was very excited to find your blog. I too have Hashi’s and we are going backpacking this weekend, but I am strict AIP. We are not going too far as we have a young child as well, and I still tire quickly. Thanks!
Hi Ginger – you might be able to make them successfully with a “gelatin egg” in place of the real eggs, or with applesauce as a sub, tho I can’t tell you right now exactly how it would change the consistency or taste. On my list is to test those options (both are common egg substitutes on the Autoimmune Protocol), but I haven’t gotten to it yet. If you want to know more about gelatin eggs, go here: http://paleoeatsandtreats.com/egg-substitute-replacement/ — however, please note that the first two options are not AIP-complaint. Scroll down for the gelatin version. If you try it this week, please let us know here in the comments how it went. I’d try it and let you know by this weekend, but I am in major cleanup/prep mode between two weekend trips so I can’t promise to have time for it. If I can fit it in, I’ll post it here!