Banana Buzzcakes

Springlike weather has finally arrived here in the Chicago area. The sun shone most of yesterday, and the temperatures rose above freezing before noon. We still get lots of gray, rainy days, though, and many mornings are dark and chilly. Coffee (like April's Cloudburst Blend) is our preferred antidote to the gray morning blues, but sometimes we need a little more.

For those times, especially when the blues hit mid-day, we have a pick-me-up snack like Catie's Banana Buzzcakes. Here's her recipe:

Banana Buzzcakes: A quick, energy-packed snack or mini-meal.

Time: 5-10 minutes (depending on single or batch cooking and how long your pan/griddle takes to heat) Makes about 12 small pancakes
Ingredients:

1 ripe banana

2 eggs

1/2 tsp coffee (ground as fine as you can)

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

coconut oil (for cooking)

Steps:

1. Spray/coat a non-stick pan with coconut oil and turn on to low-medium heat.

2. Mash the ripe banana into a mixing bowl with a fork

3. Add the two eggs and spices and beat together with the mashed banana until smooth (a whisk works very well here).

4. Pour small spoonfuls of batter into the heated nonstick pan (a griddle works very well here, a flat, evenly heated surface is what you want).

5. Cook on the first side until edges become dry and the top middle begins to solidify (about 2-3 minutes).

6. Flip the pancakes over and cook on the other side until cooked through (about 1-2 minutes). Test the middle is cooked through by gently pressing the center of the pancake. It should yield slightly, think spongy/springy, but not be squishy.

7. Remove from pan and enjoy hot! Can also be eaten at room temperature or chilled. 12 mini-pancakes are a lot for one sitting. Excellent for sharing! :)

Eating suggestions: These mini-pancakes are great stand-alone snacks, but they're also tasty with toppings. Nut butter or yogurt and granola both pair well. A single spread or small dollop and sprinkle are all you'd need.

Note: If batch cooking (my pan only holds 3-4 sm pancakes, so I do 3 rounds) make sure the pan does not overheat over time, as too hot a cooking surface burns the pancakes' edges/surfaces before cooking through.

Do you have a favorite pick-me-up snack? If you do, we'd love to hear about it. Please join the conversation and share your thoughts on the Facebook thread or in a comment on this blog. Or, if you'd like to share your opinions with the wider world, leave us a coffee review on Google or on your favorite review site. Not only do we value your opinions, but reviews help more people find us. Help us connect coffee lovers to fresh, quality coffee!

Thanks!

~ Carrie, Paul and all of us at Coffee by the Roast