Happy New Year to you! If, like me, you have decided to take on the Veganuary challenge, I’m sure you’re looking for vegan recipe inspiration all over the web. 

After a week back at work following Christmas, I wanted to treat myself to a tasty and rich breakfast at the weekend. 

I’ve found so far on my vegan journey that cooking involves a fair bit of planning. However, I put this recipe together with just a couple of vegan staples and otherwise usual storecupboard ingredients.

These pancakes accidentally taste like banana bread. I added mashed banana as an egg substitute, but unknowingly, it also adds extra natural sweetness which is a real treat. The banana is also a great energy booster.

I used coconut milk as I wanted my pancakes to be creamy and sweet, but you could use any dairy free milk depending on your preference. A lot of recipes recommend almond milk; I imagine its nutty, earthy flavour would contrast well against the sweet banana and sugar.

The self-raising flour and baking powder together make these pancakes so light and fluffy. Eating them made me feel like I was in the film, Matilda. Whenever I think about thick, American-style pancakes I think of that film. It’s one of my faves.

I adapted this from a non-vegan recipe, which says it should make 4-6 servings. But my version serves 2! 

Ingredients

• 140g self-raising flour
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 medium, ripe banana
• 130ml coconut milk (or your preferred dairy-free alternative)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Dairy free spread for frying
• A generous drizzle of Maple syrup and your favourite toppings to serve 

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 10-15 minutes
Makes 7-8 pancakes (2 portions)

Method

1.  Sift the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder into a mixing bowl.
2. Mash the banana in a jug or bowl and pour in the milk. Stir well with a metal spoon and then add the olive oil. Stir again until smooth. Don’t worry if there’s an occasional lump of banana.
3. Tip the milk and banana mix into the dry ingredients and whisk well, until you have a thick batter.
4. Put a large non-stick frying pan on a medium heat and add a knob of dairy free spread. When it’s melted, pick the pan up and move the spread around so it covers the base of the pan.
5. Add slightly less than a ladleful of pancake mixture at a time. You should be able to fit three pancakes in the pan. Cook until golden, roughly 3-5 minutes on each side. Flip them over with a fish slice. When they’re cooked, remove them from the pan and either put in the oven on a low heat to stay warm, or put to one side. Repeat this process until you’ve used up all the batter.
6. Serve stacked on a plate with a drizzle of maple syrup and your favourite toppings. I recommend washing them down with a fresh cup of coffee.

This recipe was inspired by BBC Food.