almond pancakes

Oh it was cold this morning. Cold enough to nearly freeze my eyes by the time I was done with my 45 minute run, and also cold enough to frost every one of my eyelashes...which did look kind of neat, but it wasn't worth it. Not fun. We were reasoning, as we ran, what God's purpose for such cold might be...surely it's not necessary?

At the very least, most of the pavement outside is more or less clear and dry, rather than covered with a layer of snow, and the morning sun today was beautiful. There were big, glittery snowflakes falling from somewhere, and it was so pretty to see them glinting in the sunlight. Going out in such cold makes us really appreciate arriving back home, too, and getting to be where it's warm. Thinking about it now, maybe that is God's reason for the cold--to make us appreciate warmth. Slippers, fires, cocoa, oatmeal, blankets...you know, all of the things we forget in the summer.

Lazy Sunday breakfast is good any time of the year, but it was especially nice today...pancakes? This is a bit of an unusual recipe for pancakes, but it is so simple, so healthy, and, most importantly, delicious. It takes less than five minutes to throw these together, and you can play with proportions and add-ins to fit your taste or mood. I know the recipe sounds impossibly easy, but trust me...it works. And it's worth it, especially on a bitterly cold morning when you need a little more than usual to warm your belly.

almond and banana pancakes

1/2-1 banana, mashed
1-2 eggs, slightly beaten
pinch of salt
1 Tbsp almond butter (or other nut butter)

any add-ins you'd like...
-granola
-coconut
-berries
-cinnamon
-oats

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and mashed banana. Add the salt and whisk well to blend everything. Finally, add the almond butter and mix well until the mixture looks more or less uniform. Stir in any add-ins you'd like, and fry on the stovetop in a little butter, just as you would any other pancake. Be sure to be gentle with them as you flip them over--they tend to be a little delicate. They do still taste good when they're broken though, so don't worry too much!

These are nice and sweet because of the banana, so my favorite way to eat them is topped with plain yogurt and granola or berries. They would also be lovely with more almond butter, peanut butter, and some good maple syrup. Enjoy!

"If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant:  if we did not sometimes taste adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome."
--Anne Bradstreet