Pancakes can be a great way to sneak some great nutrition into your kids! They are freezable, portable, and packable. Most importantly, the kids love them. I am sure by now, everyone has heard of banana pancake magic!
Have you ever tried green plantains?!
Cooked plantains are very similar to a potato calorie-wise, but contain more vitamins and minerals. They are a good source of fiber, vitamins A, C, and B-6, and the minerals magnesium and potassium.
Green plantains and resistant starch: What is Resistant Starch?
Green bananas and plantains have a type of resistant starch called, RS2. There are four different types of resistant starch!
Dave Aspry does an excellent job of summarizing resistant starch’s health benefits. Here are some excellent bullet points on how resistant starch can benefit you and your kids:
It is food for your good bacteria, it helps them grow and stick around!
The good bacteria feed on the resistant starch and produce something called butyrate (butyric acid).
Butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid that strengthens your brain and your gut!
Butyrate lowers the pH of the bowel, making it less hospitable for nasty pathogens and bad bacteria.
Helps increase the absorption of calcium and magnesium, which are key for bone formation.
Helps with insulin sensitivity, which is important for blood sugar control.
Ingredients:
4 green plantains 8 cups of baby spinach 8 pastured eggs 2 cups fresh or thawed frozen organic/pesticide-free blueberries
Putting it together:
Preheat a non-stick griddle to medium-high heat.
Peel and chop four green plantains. Add two plantains to a high-speed blender along with four eggs and four cups of spinach. Puree until smooth.
Scoop batter out into a bowl and repeat with remaining ingredients.
Drop a small amount, about 1/4 cup onto the griddle, and wait to see bubbles. Then add a couple of blueberries and flip.
The pancakes take about 2-3 minutes per side.
Bubbles formed… ready to add blueberries:
Drop in a couple of blueberries…
Flip and cook until golden brown…
Here is how they look on the blueberry side:
Not gorgeous… but that’s ok because they are delicious and serve the purpose!!
Serve the pancakes with…
blueberries, strawberries, peaches, cooked apples, or even layered with sliced banana
pure maple syrup or raw honey
plenty of grass-fed butter, like Kerry gold (which is also high in butyrate)
grass-fed whole milk yogurt with Chia seeds and cinnamon
your favorite nut or seed butter with cloves
Nothing! Just let your hungry kids grab a couple on their way out the door to play!