Healthy Chocolate Chia Pancakes
Healthy pancakes are a bit of an oxymoron.
Like, why would you even EAT pancakes if they aren’t a fattening tower of carbolicious deliciousness?
I understand.
But sometimes a gal needs a clean-eating meal that still feels like a bit of a splurge. And when you do, make these.
If you’ve eaten oat-based pancakes before, than you know they can be a bit dense, boring, and disappointing. And while these chocolate chia pancakes are none of those things, this recipe does yield very thick pancakes. So if you make these, don’t expect lighter-than-air pancakes. These are HEALTHY pancakes for a reason, and not being made of milk and flour is one of them. That being said, rest assured that these are not dense, but hearty. And rather than boring, there’s loads of texture. And instead of tasting disappointing, there’s CHOCOLATE, so let’s slice into a stack right now.
You start by whisking an egg, egg whites, vanilla, and non-dairy milk until smooth, then combine with oats, coconut flour, and salt. You can use any non-dairy milk of your choosing (I used coconut milk!), but I find that coconut flour creates lighter pancakes than almond flour, so definitely follow my lead. Once the core ingredients are mixed, lastly stir in chia seeds and cacao nibs, then get ready to bake.
I like to use a flat griddle when baking pancakes, but if you only have a skillet, that’s fine too. Either way, heat your pan over a medium flame until warm, then amply grease with cooking spray. Next, use a 1/3 cup measuring cup to evenly spoon the pancake batter onto the pan, baking for about 3 minutes on either side. Once brown and cooked through, transfer to a wire rack to cool and repeat until all batter has been used. When you’re ready, stack these babies high, smother with vegan butter, top with fresh fruit, drizzle with maple syrup, and devour!
It’s like dessert for breakfast, but with NONE of the messy guilt.
The cacao nibs add tremendous sweetness + texture to these pancakes (they’re crunchy if you’ve never had!), while the chia seeds add antioxidants, fiber, and protein. You can top/serve these anyway you please, but I personally love my choice of fruits.
The blackberries, cherries, and pom seeds are perfectly moody for winter, not to mention wonderfully tart and sweet. xo
Healthy Chocolate Chia Pancakes
Ingredients:
- 1 large egg
- 2 large egg whites
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp coconut milk (or your milk of choice)
- 1 cup old fashioned oats
- 3 tbsps coconut flour, sifted
- a pinch of salt
- 2 – 3 tsps chia seeds
- 1/4 cup cacao nibs
- cooking spray to grease
- fresh mixed berries to top (I used blackberries, cherries, and pomegranate seeds!)
- coconut butter and maple syrup for serving
Directions:
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl combine the egg, egg whites, vanilla, and coconut milk, whisking until smooth. Next stir in the oats, flour, salt, chia seeds, and cacao nibs until well mixed.
- Heat a large skillet or a flat griddle over a medium flame, then amply coat with cooking spray. Using a measuring cup, pour 1/3 cup of batter in the center of the hot pan/griddle, then gently spread out into a circle. Cook until bubbles appear on the surface, then flip and cook for 1-2 minutes more until golden. I recommend spraying the tops with a gentle film of cooking spray before flipping, just to make sure nothing sticks. Repeat until all batter has been used.
- When ready, serve pancakes in stacks of 3, slathering each with a touch of coconut butter if you please. Top with fresh berries and maple syrup, then eat!
