Chocolate Chickpea Pancakes
These chocolate chickpea “protein” pancakes are like eating a brownie for breakfast (disclaimer: not as sweet), but so delicious and packed with whole food ingredients to power you throughout your morning! No added sugar, no protein powders, only whole food, plant-based ingredients. Pure magic!
Dessert for breakfast!? Yes, please!
Chickpea flour is a great source of protein, fiber, and iron. A great way to incorporate more beans into your meals! Beans help with blood sugar control; they may help lower cholesterol and improve heart health; and more! What about phytates in beans? Turns out they may actually lower cancer risk, perhaps one way is by inhibiting the growth of cancer cells.
I posted this picture on my Instagram account months ago. It took me some time to finally get it up here on the blog. I have been a busy woman! But really, I wanted to test this recipe out a few times before I share it publicly. I learned an important trick with the chickpea flour recently, so I am glad I have waited so long to post this! Lightly toasting the chickpea before using it in a recipe helps to make the chickpea flour less distinct. In my previous recipes with chickpea flour, it still left this bitter, green-bean kind of taste. Now, wow! Game changer! It has nutty flavor and blends in much better with the flavors of the dish.
Also, I have chosen to leave out the baking soda in this recipe. After several attempts, I decided it really didn’t do much to the recipe– it was still dense, a little more airy, but not much. It’s also healthier without it, no added sodium. If you find that this recipe absolutely needs it, add 1.5-2 teaspoons of baking soda. I have also been experimenting with aquafaba in this recipe, but to tell you the truth– I just like this how it is.
It’s gotten the thumbs up from my taste-testers, so it’s time for this recipe to finally make it’s internet debut.
Look at that chocolate creaminess! Yumm!
These pancakes are dense, like a brownie. They are not overly sweet on their own, but when you top them off with a cashew- date cream and berries, it’s just too good to be true. For those of you with a nut allergy, just blend pitted-dates with water (as needed for thinning) to make a date syrup. Then pour the syrup over those cakes for a healthy, homemade whole-food syrup.
- 1 cup cashews
- 3 medjool dates, pits removed
- 1-1.25 cups water
- 1 cup chickpea flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1.25 cup water
- 1 large banana
- In a strong blender, combine the dates, cashews, and water. Blend until smooth, add more water as needed for thinning. Pour the cream into a bowl and let it chill in the fridge.
- Toast the chickpea flour on low-medium heat for 10-15 minutes. Stir continuously to avoid burning. If the flour starts to brown slightly and stick together, turn down heat and remove any burnt pieces. The toasted chickpea flour will have a nutty smell and will turn a slightly darker color.
- Once the chickpea flour is finished, remove it from the heat and set aside.
- In a blender, combine the cocoa powder, vanilla, water, and banana. Blend until smooth. Add the chickpea flour and blend until well combined.
- Heat a non-stick skillet on medium heat. Add the batter and cook until the top starts to bubble and change color/ texture (about 2-4 minutes). Cook on the other side until finished (another 2-4 minute). Continue this step until the batter is gone.
- Top the chickpea pancakes with the cashew cream, a sprinkle of cocoa powder, and serve with fresh/frozen berries. Enjoy!
