Banana Fana Fo Fana

It seems like no matter how many bananas we try to eat, we always end up with a freezer full of spotty, over-ripe loners that are begging to be made into something tasty (except the ones that end up falling hard and frozen onto my TOES.)

Speaking of which, don't throw your speckled bananas away! Throw them in the freezer and they stay in ripe banana limbo for months! To defrost, just submerge them in a bowl of warm water until mooshy, then tear off the stem and squeeze the banana into a bowl.

This is my redux for my favorite Banana Pancake recipe, reducing the fat and adding fiber where I could without sacrificing the taste, since I'm trying to eat healthier. They're really good and very filling. I suppose, if you were feeling like you needed some say, extra anti-oxidants with endorphin inducing benefits, you could add a few semi-sweet mini chocolate chips to the batter.

This recipe makes a LOT of pancakes. But you could always make them and freeze them. Then they're ready to pop in the toaster or microwave for a quick breakfast.

Fluffy Banana Pancakes

3 egg whites
2 very ripe bananas, mashed
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 cups low-fat buttermilk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons wheat germ
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1-In a bowl beat the egg whites until frothy, then mix in bananas, applesauce, and buttermilk. Set aside.

2-In a large mixing bowl stir together the dry ingredients, then add the banana mixture. Beat together until everything is well incorporated. (You can add more buttermilk if you feel the batter is too thick.).

3-Pour 1/4 cup batter for each pancake onto a preheated griddle. Flip over when the edges begin to dry and the batter bubbles on top.

4-Serve with sliced bananas and/or warm maple syrup.