Green Plantain Pancakes Recipe

What Is Green Plantain Pancakes?

Green plantain pancakes rely on the starch inside unripe plantains, which turns into a thick, sticky batter once it is blended, so the batter holds together without any flour. This version blends the plantain with a little coconut milk and cooks small rounds in coconut oil until the edges are crisp and the centers are soft. Whole fruit and coconut fat keep it gentle on inflammation.

What Makes This Recipe Anti-Inflammatory?

Green plantains are rich in resistant starch, a fiber that escapes digestion in the small intestine and feeds beneficial bacteria in the colon, which ferment it into short-chain fatty acids such as butyrate. Coconut milk and coconut oil provide lauric acid and other medium-chain fats.

Cinnamon comes from the inner bark of the cinnamon tree and contains cinnamaldehyde, the compound behind its warmth. Blueberries add anthocyanins, the pigments that give them their deep color and among the most studied antioxidants in fruit.

Every ingredient is compliant with the AIP elimination phase. There are no grains, legumes, nightshades, dairy, eggs, nuts, seeds or seed-based spices, and the batter is held together only by the starch in the plantain, with no flour, egg or leavening of any kind.

Ingredients

• 2 large green plantains, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1/3 cup full-fat canned coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted, plus 1 tablespoon for the pan
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup fresh blueberries, for serving
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup, for serving

Directions

Step 1

Peel the plantains. Cut off both ends, slice a shallow line along the length of each one and lift the skin away with your thumb. Chop the flesh roughly.

Step 2

Add the plantain to a blender with the coconut milk, 2 tablespoons of melted coconut oil, the cinnamon and the sea salt. Add the coconut milk gradually while blending.

Step 3

Blend until the batter is thick and completely smooth, with no visible pieces. The batter should fall off a spoon in a slow ribbon.

Step 4

Heat 1 tablespoon of coconut oil in a nonstick or well seasoned skillet over medium-low heat. The batter is dense and starchy, so high heat scorches the outside before the center cooks.

Step 5

Spoon in about 2 tablespoons of batter per pancake and flatten each one gently to about 3 inches across. Keep them small. Large pancakes have no gluten to support them and tear when flipped.

Step 6

Cook 3 to 4 minutes on the first side, until the edges look dry and the underside is golden. Flip carefully with a thin spatula and cook 3 to 4 minutes more. These are denser than wheat pancakes and do not puff up.

Step 7

Stack the pancakes on two plates and top with the blueberries and maple syrup.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

InflammaScore

1 Good! Very low inflammation potential

Q&A

Q1: Is this recipe suitable for the AIP elimination phase?
A1: Yes. Green plantains, coconut milk, coconut oil, cinnamon, sea salt, blueberries and maple syrup are all permitted during elimination. There is no flour, egg or leavening here, since the starch in the plantain does the binding, and plantains count as a permitted fruit. There is no black pepper in the ingredient list, since peppercorns fall outside the herbs that come from leaves and roots, and no seed-based spices such as cumin, coriander or mustard.

Q2: Why are my pancakes sticking or breaking apart?
A2: Usually the pancakes are too big, the pan is too hot or the batter has lumps. Keep each one to about 2 tablespoons, flatten to 3 inches and wait until the edges look dry before flipping.

Q3: Can I use ripe plantains instead?
A3: Not for this recipe. In a ripe plantain the starch has turned into sugar, so the batter comes out runny and burns before it sets. Only green plantains hold enough starch to bind the batter.

Q4: How do I store and reheat them?
A4: Refrigerate cooked pancakes in a sealed container for up to 3 days. Reheat in a dry skillet or toaster until warm and crisp at the edges. To freeze, place parchment paper between the pancakes so they do not fuse, then reheat straight from frozen.

Q5: Will this keep me full until lunch?
A5: These pancakes are high in carbohydrates and low in protein, so on their own they may not last until lunch. Serve them with a portion of cooked meat or fish for the protein that keeps hunger away.