Low-FODMAP Banana Nut Pancakes

Many of my most vivid memories revolve around food. I don't remember much of my childhood, most of it is a pretty blur now, but I can remember clearly my mom's banana-nut pancakes. I can see her whisking together a batch on a leisurely Sunday, while my dad and I lounged around the kitchen, still in our pajamas. Maybe we'd help her with mashing the bananas (even though she was really the best at that) or chopping up the frozen pecans that Grandpa had sent from Mississippi, while she started heating up the near-ancient griddle (which probably still makes perfect pancakes to this day). I remember how perfect those pancakes looked and smelled, how fluffy they were on the inside, and how satisfying each bite was - especially those bites that had a nice crunchy pecan inside. Pure, sweet, Sunday heaven. 

So with today being Mother's Day, and my mother being three thousand miles away, you can imagine how badly I might be missing her. And, how much I might be wishing for a plate of her banana-nut pancakes. While it's impossible to recreate those perfect pancakes of my childhood, I have found that this absurdly simple recipe can help satisfy my crazed banana-nut nostalgia. Better yet, I've adapted it to meet my current low-FODMAP diet needs (more about that here), and even better yet, you can make this in your blender, so cleanup is a snap. 

I like using buckwheat flour here when I have it on hand, because I enjoy its earthy, nutty quality. Feel free to sub out another type of flour if you'd prefer. Walnuts are a classic partner to banana, and I like them in my pancakes, but you could also use pecans (which would be more faithful to my mother's version), hazelnuts, or whatever you have on hand. Maybe even chocolate chips, if you're feeling wild! Treat yourself - it's Mother's Day, after all! 

low-FODMAP Banana Pancakes, by Brunchographers

Ingredients

• 1 cup gluten-free rolled oats 
• 1/2 cup buckwheat flour 
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 
• 1/4 tsp salt 
• 2 unripe bananas*
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk 
• 2 tbsp maple syrup**
• 2 tbsp melted butter or oil, for frying
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Method

1. Place the oats into a blender, and blend until they have reached a flour-like consistency.

2. Add the buckwheat flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt to the blender carafe and pulse to combine. 

3. Add the bananas, eggs, almond milk, and maple syrup to the blender. Process until well combined, about 30 seconds. Let the batter rest for about five minutes. 

4. While the batter is resting, heat a nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium low heat. Lightly grease the skillet with butter or oil. 

6. Working in batches, add heaping quarter cups of batter into the hot skillet, gently spreading the mixture into circular shapes if needed. Sprinkle the chopped walnuts onto each pancake while the batter is still wet, about 1-2 tsp per pancake. Once the edges begin to appear dry and the bottom sides are golden brown (about 3-4 minutes), flip each pancake and cook for another 3-4 minutes, or until cooked through.

7. Transfer to a 200 degree F oven to keep warm or serve immediately with maple syrup. 

* If not following a low-FODMAP diet, you may use ripe or unripe bananas! For individuals eating low-FODMAP, bananas that are still slightly green on the outside are best, per Monash University. 
** If you're not low-FODMAP and are making these with ripe bananas (see above), feel free to omit the maple syrup - they're pleasantly sweet without it! 

Makes 4 servings. 

Easy Peasy Breakfast Tacos

I don't need to wax philosophical for you about the magnificence of breakfast tacos. I know it, you know it, we all know it - eggs taste awesome tucked inside a warm tortilla. Add some flavorful accompaniments like savory chopped bacon, smoky potatoes and bell peppers, crunchy cabbage, and a zippy cilantro crema, and you're on the fast track to breakfast heaven. 

Easy Peasy Breakfast Tacos, recipe by Brunchographers

In my opinion, whether you opt for corn, flour, or otherwise, the fastest way to taco nirvana is to thoroughly char your tortilla. This simple step brings a toasty earthiness and an oh-so-satisfying crunch that you didn't know you were missing. I char mine directly on a gas burner for a few seconds on each side (no frying pan required), but you could also pop them under the broiler for a few minutes to achieve a similar effect. 

Easy Peasy Breakfast Tacos, recipe by Brunchographers

These tacos are a great way to sneak some extra pep (and veggies) into your breakfast routine, and if you make the veggies and the sauce ahead of time, they will come together quickly enough for a weekday breakfast. We love using tiny street-taco sized tortillas from Milk & Eggs, but you could easily use larger ones and stick with 1-2 tortillas per serving. 

Groceries for Easy Peasy Breakfast Tacos, recipe by Brunchographers

A quick note - this recipe is entirely low-FODMAP, meaning it's low in certain carbohydrates that can be irritating to people with digestive disorders. I'm currently following a low-FODMAP diet for the short term (as prescribed by my doctor to help alleviate some tummy issues), and have enjoyed experimenting with my favorite recipes to fit my current diet! If you and your belly are in a good place, and you want to kick things up a notch and add in some super-tasty FODMAP foods (hello, garlic and onion!), feel free to toss in a diced onion with the potato mixture, or top your tacos with your favorite salsa. Go crazy! 

Easy Peasy Breakfast Tacos, recipe by Brunchographers

Easy Peasy Breakfast Tacos

Ingredients

For the Tacos
4 slices bacon or turkey bacon
8 eggs
1 russet potato, peeled and cubed
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced thin
1/2 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
pepper

For the Cilantro "Crema"
1/2 cup mayo of choice (my favs are soy-free Vegenaise or Primal Kitchen)
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro
juice of 2 small limes (about 3 tablespoons)
salt + pepper to taste

To Serve
12 street-style corn tortillas, or 8 regular (6-inch) tortillas, charred* 
1/4 purple cabbage, shredded thinly
1/4 cup green onions, chopped (green part only if low-FODMAP)
extra cilantro
lime wedges

First, make the cilantro "crema" by combining the mayo, cilantro, and lime juice in a small food processor or blender. Process or pulse the mixture until it's well combined, and it's taken on a bright green color. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a jar and refrigerate until ready to use (note: you'll have leftovers, so try it on burgers or as a dip with veggies!).

To make the vegetable filling, begin by placing cubed potatoes in a medium pot and covering with cold water. Bring to a boil, then simmer about four minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Drain thoroughly and set aside. 

While the potatoes boil, cook the bacon to desired crispiness in a large skillet, following package instructions. Once cooked, the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain excess oil and allow it to cool. Once it's cool enough to handle, give it a coarse chop, or crumble it with your fingers. 

Using the same skillet as used for the bacon, toss the potatoes, bell pepper, and spices in the bacon drippings (note: if using turkey bacon, you'll want to add some extra oil to keep the veggies from sticking to the skillet). Cook over medium heat until the peppers are soft and the potatoes have browned slightly. Set aside. 

In a separate, nonstick skillet, warm the olive oil or butter over medium-low heat. Add in the eggs and whisk them in the pan using a rubber spatula (this is similar to the Gordon Ramsay style, but we find that doing it over low heat allows you to keep the pan on the burner the whole time. That back and forth bit he does is exhausting). Continue to gently push and fold the eggs together until they begin to set. Remove them from the heat and set aside just before they look fully cooked, to avoid drying them out. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Now it's time to assemble your tacos. Fill each tortilla with a heaping spoonful of the potato mixture, followed by the eggs, and a bit of crumbled bacon. Drizzle on some cilantro "crema" and sprinkle on shredded cabbage, green onions, and cilantro as desired. Serve with a slice of lime. 

*To char your tortillas, place them directly on a lit gas burner for 5 - 10 seconds on each side, using tongs to flip halfway through. Be sure to keep a very close eye on them if you use this method; they can go up in smoke quickly if left unattended! If you don't have a gas burner, you could also pop them under a hot broiler for a few minutes to achieve a similar effect. 

Note: potato + bell pepper mixture portion of this recipe has been adapted from The Kitchn. 

Easy Peasy Breakfast Tacos, recipe by Brunchographers

Groceries for this post were kindly provided by Milk & Eggs, our favorite grocery delivery service! All opinions are our own.  

Best Girl | Downtown Los Angeles, CA

While most change happens gradually, there are times when life pulls a Metamorphosis and flips your world upside down overnight. An example: one evening, you may find yourself dining in your hotel’s restaurant, enjoying a few gems found amidst an overall unremarkable menu. It’s not worth writing home about but it’s nothing to complain about either, and the place certainly delivers on the “cooler than thou” vibe that you were promised upon booking your room at the Ace. You go to sleep (maybe you dream about too-tough octopus, what do I know?), and you wake up to a note slipped under your door. It’s announces that the restaurant from last night now has an entirely different name, and an entirely different chef. Oh, and that chef is quite possibly the best in the city. When you wander down for breakfast, the place looks the same and sounds the same, but it now smells of bacon and possibility - and of that rare satisfaction of knowing you got to experience a cool new thing before anyone else did. 

Tonkatsu Chicken Sandwich at Best Girl, Los Angeles, CA

For the record, the above example is not at all what happened to us; your faithful Brunchographers were not on the premises the day Michael Cimarusti pulled a Lemonade and transformed the Ace Hotel’s L.A. Chapter into Best Girl overnight. But we are fairly accomplished when it comes to visualization, and we can identify with how exciting that moment might have felt for those who were there. In reality, we rolled up to the Ace about a month after the deed had already been done, fashionably late under the guise of giving the restaurant some time to “get its bearings” (sure, that’s it - our delay had nothing at all to do with the fact that schlepping downtown is such a process). Inside, the restaurant is as hip as you’d expect the Ace’s restaurant to be: cozy without sacrificing design, vintage with just the right amount of modern, and quirky without going over the top. Sure, the pencil-drawn caricatures on the walls may leer at you as you walk to the bathroom, but a pump of the high-end perfumed soap will bring you right back down to earth. 

Best Girl, Los Angeles, CA

Rainbows over our menu at Best Girl, Los Angeles, CA 

The menu at Best Girl is a departure from what Angelenos might expect from Cimarusti - rather than the elegant seafood-focused dishes he’s known for at Providence and Connie & Ted’s, the fare here reflects the more casual meals that the chef and his family prepare at home. Each item has ties to either Cimarusti or his wife (pastry chef Crisi Echiverri, who oversaw Best Girl’s dessert program) in some way, be it flavors borrowed from their families’ ancestral heritage or a riff on a dish they love to prepare for their son. In some ways, a perusal of Best Girl’s menu is like taking a look into what a great culinary mind’s day off might look like, whether it’s a quick and simple breakfast, a satisfying midday meal, or a relaxed dinner shared with friends. 

Cozy seating at Best Girl, Los Angeles, CA 

At brunch, a wide array of Best Girl’s favorites can be enjoyed, with options from both the breakfast and the lunch menus at your fingertips. You may want to begin with a cocktail, like the Lucky Girl, a tart and floral option that arrives with a paper fortune to help you plan your future. If something from a bottle’s more your thing, there are plenty of tempting options on the eclectic wine and beer lists. Or, if it’s one of those days (and it was for me), you may choose to stick with a classic cup of coffee, because it’s Stumptown, and its deliciousness will warm your heart. 

Buckwheat Pancakes at Best Girl, Los Angeles, CA 

As for food, the Buckwheat Pancakes both confounded our palates and satisfied that persistent craving for something soft, fluffy, and a little bit sweet. While these run a little thinner than the average pancake, their warm nutty flavor and light texture is as pleasant as it gets. On top, the blueberry compote tastes homemade and lends a tart, satisfying punch, while a drizzle of maple syrup offers mellow sweetness. But what truly sets these cakes apart is a mound of creamy butter that’s been smoked, offering a hint of campfire to every bite. It’s at first confusing, and then it becomes a little bit funny, and it finally settles in as charming, warm, and comforting. Hey, if your brunch isn’t sending you on a little bit of an emotional rollercoaster, you’re missing out. 

Buckwheat Pancakes at Best Girl, Los Angeles, CA 

Tonkatsu Chicken Sandwich at Best Girl, Los Angeles, CA

Now, listen very carefully: you will be cheating yourself if you walk away from Best Girl without trying the Tonkatsu Chicken Sandwich. Please trust us on this. Between the two halves of a light and spongy sesame bun lies a flavor combination that is absolutely divine: a crunchy-yet-delicate crust envelops juicy and tender chicken, a swirl of yuzu koshu mayo offers tang and umami all at once, and a heap of miso cabbage is both creamy and tender. If we were doing a top-ten-things-we-ate-this-year list (and after this dish, we thought about it), this sandwich would be on it, and it would be very near the top. So just order it.

Tonkatsu Chicken Sandwich at Best Girl, Los Angeles, CA 

It is amazing to consider that a restaurant with a pedigree like Best Girl’s could open without an ounce of fanfare, and that one of L.A.’s most esteemed fine dining chefs could suddenly shift focus to create down-to-earth, comforting, everyday meals — but perhaps it’s this restaurant's sense of rebelliousness and willingness to challenge the status quo that makes the entire Best Girl experience so alluring.

Best Girl
927 S Broadway
Los Angeles, CA 90015

Honey Hi | Echo Park, CA

It's common knowledge that just about everyone in Los Angeles is on a restricted diet of some sort - low carb, high carb, paleo, gluten free, vegan, raw vegan, fruitarian, you name it. Perhaps it's the fault of our year-long summer weather; with beach season extending into February, there can be no packing on of the winter pounds. Or perhaps it's that this place attracts dreamers; starry-eyed upstarts searching for their "best life" - whether that's a high-powered career, a glamorous social life, or simply "healing the gut." No matter the reason, we've all caught the fever at one point or another, and it's rare to have a meal out with friends and not encounter a dietary restriction or two. 

With demand comes supply, and Los Angeles is in no short supply of restaurants that cater to our dietary quirks. Even LAX is home to a fast-food version of Real Food Daily, one of LA's first and most popular vegan restaurants. The trick is not to find a restaurant that will cater to your latest diet, but to find one that will also provide you with something dazzling and unexpected. Because you, too - you primal, plant-and-meat-eating-goddess, you - deserve to indulge in something delicious and nourishing. So get your athleisure-clad butt over to Honey Hi on the double. 

Founded by best friends Kacie Carter and Caitlyn Sullivan, Honey Hi is a celebration of Los Angeles' healthy-eating culture. The inviting little cafe in Echo Park looks like it was plucked directly from your Instagram feed, done up in peachy pink hues with splashes of marble and wood, with pops of color from vibrant orange painted chairs and your table-neighbor's neon "pink drink" smoothie. The menu is awash with terms familiar only to the yoga set; items like "chayawanaprash & grilled stone fruit toast" and "medicinal shroom dandy 'coffee'" can make even the most seasoned cook's brow furrow. Let's not even delve into the drink add-on list - it may conjure memories of that high school vocabulary pop quiz you failed after a month-long absence with mono. 

Yoga Jones buzz words aside, Honey Hi's menu is downright friendly. Carter and Sullivan strive for what they call "radical inclusivity," offering options for just about every dietary preference and constraint. Many dishes are inspired by foods the pair make at home for themselves, and with their shared passion for nutrition and eating for wellness, the result is a robust list of healthy, nourishing meals and satisfying snacks. Their kitchen is intrinsically gluten-free, serving a variety of toasts and sandwiches that feature the rarest of birds, gluten-free sourdough bread. The meats and eggs are exclusively organic, and are sourced with sustainability and humane practices in mind. And because this team is cooking for their customers like they cook for themselves, everything is free of refined sugars, GMOs, and harmful vegetable oils - so seriously, even that friend who orders only a glass of water when you go out to lunch can eat here. 

When we popped in on a recent weekday morning for brunch, Honey Hi was active but not packed, with plenty of free tables between the groups of predictably hip, well-dressed East-siders. Some were discussing creative businesses over cold brew coffee, others were sharing brightly-colored smoothies with their curious two-year-olds. Forever on a mission to sample as much of a variety as we could, we ordered a cross-section of the menu: a sweet yogurt parfait, a toast, a hearty bowl, and an iced coffee. 

The cold brew coffee came first, served with a splash of house-made almond milk. It was strong and robust, as high on the caffeine scale as a good cold brew should be, and smooth in flavor. Next was the cashew yogurt parfait, made with probiotic cashew yogurt from a small business called Blode Küh that you may recognize from local farmers markets. While it's not a dead ringer for yogurt made with cow's milk, some would argue that it's better - the cashew base offers a dense creaminess that is both satisfying and rich. Honey Hi's grain-free granola is packed with nuts and seeds, and is therefore intensely satisfying.  Seasonal berries round out the dish with a burst of freshness and bright flavor. 

The sweet potato and avocado toast is a fun, flavorful twist on L.A.'s signature breakfast, piled high with lemony mashed avocado, soft and spicy roasted sweet potatoes, tangy pickled onions, and fragrant herbs. That gluten-free sourdough toast is pretty darn satisfying as well; good enough to evoke euphoria in any bread-starved, celiac-afflicted individual.  

Finally, the breakfast bowl - a melange of ultra-satisfying-yet-actually-healthy breakfasty foods that is without a doubt the correct way to start your day. It begins with a layer of savory sweet potato hash, topped with a generous helping of crispy Niman Ranch uncured bacon, a bright yellow pastured egg poached in turmeric, and a heap of delicately dressed fresh local greens. A perfect crisp radish is placed like a cherry on the top, alongside creamy avocado and a dusting of herbs and spices. It's the type of thing you want to wake up to every morning, if only you lived just a little closer to Echo Park. 

As a food lover in Los Angeles, it can be difficult to find balance amidst an abundance of exquisite, decadent, indulgent cuisine. Fortunately, cleaning up your dietary act no longer means giving up on inventive and exciting food - with places like Honey Hi on the scene, we can have our cake (or grain-free chocolate chip cookie) and eat it too. 

Honey Hi
1620 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026

Eggslut | Venice, CA

I'm late to the game. I admit it. Eggslut has been serving up yolky-goodness since 2011, and I've only just visited. The lines rounding the corners of the original brick and mortar spot in Grand Central Market have always been daunting, and I admittedly have passed them by for other food stands. I thought "it can't be THAT good", and since there are so many wonderful restaurants in the market, I just never waited patiently for one of those glorious egg sammies. 

But I'm happy to announce, this Brunchographer has finally joined Team Eggslut, and I'm hooked!

The newish location in Venice drew me in. It popped up on my Yelp app one day when I was looking for a casual brunch spot in my Westside neighborhood, and I figured since I had no agenda that morning, I could finally check it out. My boyfriend and I mentally prepared for the line and potential chaos, and we drove over to Venice. Luckily we found parking right across the street from the restaurant, but that also allowed us to clearly see the 20 person line ahead of us. We both hesitated, but eventually soldiered on. Now was the time! 

We hopped in line and were immediately greeted by a warm, charming employee who handed us menus and provided us with an estimate of our time in line. "From this spot, it's usually 20 minutes until you'll get to the counter, and your food will be ready 10 minutes after that!" he informed us. Ok, thanks guy! We appreciated the up front info. The estimate ended up being pretty spot on, too.

The interior is simple and slightly industrial with pops of bright yellow decor mimicking Eggslut's famous runny egg. It's a bit chaotic, though. The line is organized well, but after you order, you wait in a sea of hungry Venice folk who are eyeing tables freeing up and listening anxiously for their names to be called. But eventually you get your seat and your gorgeous tray of food, and you become oh-so-happy.

We started with "The Slut". A staple menu item for Eggslut, it sounds a little odd upon first read,  but once you pierce through that perfectly coddled egg atop a potato puree and the bright orange yolk spills out, you know you're in for something special (#yolkporn to the max). We spread some of the eggy potato goodness over a piece of toast and with a bit of chunky salt and a touch of chive on top, it was a singular divine bite. Order this up for an brunch appetizer, and you'll start your meal right.

The Slut

For our main sandwiches, I ordered the "Sausage, Egg and Cheese" and Jeff ordered the "Cheeseburger". I can't turn down honey mustard, and Jeff can't say no to cheeseburgers with eggs, so both sandwiches were matches made in heaven for us.

The "Sausage, Egg and Cheese" was a simpler combo. It's the type of sandwich you hope you get every time you order a breakfast sandwich, but so rarely actually arrives on your plate. I've been burned too many times by a disappointing breakfast sandwich, but this one was simply done well. The ratio of sausage to egg to cheese was perfect, and the honey mustard aioli shone through brightly with an acidic pop in every bite. The sausage was spiced nicely and the runny yolk was sopped up perfectly by the spongy brioche bun.

The Sausage, Egg and Cheese

The "Cheeseburger" was a heartier sandwich. The angus beef patty holds a perfectly over-medium egg and a melted slice of cheddar cheese, and sits atop a power-trio bed of bacon, dijonnaise, and bread and butter pickles. We were both weary of the pickles (neither of us are fans of the bread and butter variety), but with each bite, we were more convinced that they belonged. They added a tangy crunch factor, and with the salty bacon and flavorful dijonnaise, this brunch burger was accessorized just right.

The Cheeseburger

To round it out, we got an iced coffee and a super refreshing cup of freshly-squeezed orange juice, and neither of those disappointed either. At the very least, get some OJ with your meal to add to the aesthetic factor. How pretty is this table with another punch of orange, right?! 

All in all, our trip to Eggslut was a success. Yes, the line can be intimidating, but sometimes it's fun visiting a place that is so sought after. Part of the fun of the food scene is LA is sharing your experience with other people who are just as excited as you are, and that's what Eggslut is all about. Their mission is to not just serve high quality food and provide great service. They want your meal to be an experience, and that's just what they deliver. So get yourself a brunch-venturer friend and get in line. You won't regret it! 

Eggslut - Venice Location

1611 Pacific Ave

Los Angeles, CA 90291

Other locations: Downtown LA / Glendale, CA / Las Vegas, NV / New York, NY