Lactose-Free Banana Pancakes
By Jude Horak, UC patient. Flare-friendly. Breakfast.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 25 min
- Serves
- 3
Pancakes were one of the foods I assumed I had to give up entirely when I was diagnosed, and it turned out the batter was never really the problem. The trouble was everything around it: whole-wheat flour, a mound of butter, real dairy milk, and syrup by the quarter cup. So I rebuilt them. These use plain white flour, lactose-free milk, one egg, and a mashed ripe banana that does most of the sweetening, so the syrup is a drizzle rather than a flood. They cook in a barely greased nonstick pan over medium-low heat, which keeps them soft all the way through instead of crisp at the edges. I make them on a slow weekend morning during a flare when I want something that feels like normal life. Everyone tolerates fat and sugar differently, so start with two pancakes and see how you do before going back for more.
Why it works for UC
The base of these pancakes is refined white flour, which is low in insoluble fiber for the same reason white bread is. Lactose-free milk keeps the batter tender without the lactose that regular milk carries, and the egg adds soft, complete protein. A ripe banana is low in rough fiber, mashes smooth, and lets me use far less syrup, which cuts the sugar load that sometimes stirs things up. Cooking them gently in minimal butter keeps the fat down, since heavy fat is a common flare trigger even when the ingredients are otherwise gentle.
Ingredient pages: Pancakes, Banana, Lactose-Free Milk, Eggs
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose white flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 very ripe banana, peeled
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 cup lactose-free milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted, plus a little for the pan
- Pure maple syrup for serving, about 1 tablespoon per plate
Method
- 1Whisk the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt together in a medium bowl so the leavening is evenly distributed. Lumpy baking powder makes uneven, bitter spots.
- 2In a second bowl, mash the banana with a fork until it is mostly smooth, then whisk in the egg, lactose-free milk, vanilla, and melted butter.
- 3Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir just until no dry flour shows. The batter should be thick and a little lumpy; overmixing develops gluten and makes tough pancakes.
- 4Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-low and wipe it with a tiny bit of butter on a paper towel. Drop in a scant quarter cup of batter per pancake and let them spread on their own.
- 5Cook two to three minutes until bubbles form across the top and the edges look dry, then flip and cook another minute or two until golden. Lower the heat if they brown too fast.
- 6Keep finished pancakes on a plate under a clean towel while you cook the rest. Serve warm with a light drizzle of maple syrup rather than a pool.
Tips and swaps
- The first pancake is a test. If it is dark outside and raw inside, your pan is too hot; if pale and flat, it needs another minute per side.
- Leftover pancakes freeze well in a zip bag with parchment between them. Reheat in the toaster for a fast weekday breakfast.
- During a flare I skip whipped cream, chocolate chips, and nut butter on top. A little extra sliced banana is plenty.
- If you are gluten-free, a cup-for-cup blend works, though the pancakes come out a bit more delicate.
What a serving gives you
Three small pancakes give about 8 grams of protein from the egg and milk, a decent hit of carbohydrate, and potassium from the banana. The fat stays modest as long as you go light on butter and syrup, which is where many pancake breakfasts tip from gentle to heavy. Pancakes are a comfort food more than a nutrition powerhouse, and that has its own value on a hard week.
Questions about this recipe
Can I make these without the egg?
Yes. Replace the egg with two extra tablespoons of mashed banana and one extra tablespoon of lactose-free milk. The pancakes will be slightly denser and take a little longer to set in the middle, so cook them on the lower end of medium-low. You lose some protein, so pair them with something else if that matters for your morning.
Are these pancakes still fine in remission?
The banana and lactose-free milk are fine in either phase. The site rates pancakes as a caution food in remission, mainly because white flour and syrup are easy to overdo once you feel well. When I am in remission I swap half the white flour for whole-wheat and add a spoonful of chopped walnuts, which I would never do mid-flare.
