Banana Sour Cream Pancakes

We live in an era of convenience, where promises of easier and faster abound.  We have drive-through windows for almost every facet of our life – from the pharmacy window, to the bank window, to the fast-food window.  Indeed, the specter of convenience is particularly pernicious when it comes to the kitchen and our collective eating habits.

In the 1950s, one out of three Americans was overweight, and just one out of ten Americans was considered obese.  But with the advent of Jack In the Box (founded in 1951), McDonald’s (1955), and others of its kind, obesity rates have skyrocketed.  At last count, 65% of Americans were overweight, and 30% of Americans were obese.

And hamburgers are not the only culprit. Breakfast alone boasts instant-coffee, instant-grits, and instant-oatmeal (followed by instant-indigestion I presume).

Fortunately, the slow food movement is fighting back.  Naturally, breakfast is the first (and best) place to start.

Banana Sour Cream Pancakes

Recipe adapted from Ina Garten’s Barefoot Contessa Family Style.

PREP TIME: 15 minutes
COOK TIME: 10 minutes
YIELD: 8 Pancakes

WHAT TO GRAB:
1 1/2 cups flour
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt
1/2 cup low-fat sour cream
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon low-fat milk
2 extra-large eggs, separated
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
Unsalted butter
3 ripe bananas, thinly diced, plus extra for serving

HOW YOU DO IT:

1.  In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream, milk, egg yolks, vanilla, and lemon zest.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones, mixing only until combined.

2.  In yet another mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks begin to form.  Fold 1/4 of  the beaten egg whites into the batter, then fold the rest of the egg whites in, until just combined.  The beaten egg whites will lighten the batter substantially.

3. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a griddle over medium-low heat until it bubbles.  Pour the pancake batter – about 1/4 of a cup per pancake – onto the griddle.

4.  Using your hands, place the diced bananas on top of the pancake.  I used about four or five slices per pancake.

5.  Cook for about 4 or 5 minutes, or until bubbles appear on top and the underside is nicely browned.  Flip the pancakes and cook for another 2 to 4 minutes.

6.  Wipe the griddle with a paper towel, add more butter, and continue cooking until you’re all out of batter!

7.  Serve with sliced bananas, butter, and maple syrup!

HELPFUL HINT:

*If you’re making a bunch of pancakes – and why wouldn’t you – you can keep the pancakes warm in a 200 degree oven, until ready to serve.