These easy vegan and gluten free spinach pancakes are a family favorite, even toddler approved! We like to call them good morning pancakes as every morning is a good morning when they’re being made. Besides being gluten free and vegan, they are also refined sugar free and loaded with healthy greens and omega fats to start the day off right. We store leftovers in the fridge and take them as a hiking snack to gobble up with berries. 

Whether you are a pancake pro or new to making round flapjacks, this easy recipe is quick to mix together and make. Our little one, Meru, asks for them often and gobbles them up as we cook them… yes she is gobbling up oats, spinach, and healthy fats happily!

We often make these pancakes on the weekend, doubling our batch so that we can freeze some. We reheat them in a toaster or air fryer for a snack later in the week.

If you are looking for breakfasts to meal prep, our chocolate breakfast brownies are also a great go-to. Yes. A BROWNIE for breakfast. And it is crazy good for you.

Nutrition Packed in a Happy Pancake

These pancakes don’t disappoint – either in flavor or health benefiting profile. Here’s some key nutrition facts to make you smile while you enjoy:

• Oats: Packed with fiber, helps reduce LDL cholesterol, helps regulate blood sugar
• Spinach: Excellent source of vitamin K (important for bone health!), vitamin A, vitamin C, and folate as well as magnesium, iron, manganese, and vitamin B2.
• Flaxseed: high in omega 3 fats (an essential fatty acid humans cannot produce themselves) and a rich source of lignans which may reduce cancer risk, may lower blood pressure, improve cholesterol, and are also rich in dietary fiber

Recommended Kitchen Appliances:

• Vitamix or other high speed blender
• Non-stick skillet
• Mixing bowls & spatula

A note on oat flour:

Oat flour is available in markets to purchase these days. However, it is cheaper to simply blend your own at home if you have a high speed blender! We go for organic rolled oats, and tend to avoid instant oats. This is because they make for a much chewier texture we are not looking for in this pancake.

Heating your skillet:

Often the first pancake does not have the same even consistency as the rest with cooking. Try your best to heat up your skillet on medium-high heat prior to adding batter to assure all the pancakes come out fluffy and golden brown (with cool bright green insides!).

Our Favorite Toppings

We do not skimp on toppings in this household. Fresh fruit is a favorite as well as Nutzoo! Here’s some of our favorite combos:

• Nutzoo, fresh banana slices, hemp seeds, chocolate chips
• Strawberries, bananas, maple syrup, tahini
• Peanut butter, blueberries, maple syrup

What other combos do you like? Let us know in the comments below.

Happy Cooking!

Print Recipe

Good Morning Pancakes

These pancakes are a family favorite, even toddler approved! They are gluten free & refined sugar free, loaded with healthy greens and omega fats to start the day off right. We store leftovers in the fridge and take them as a hiking snack to gobble up with berries.

Servings: 2 hungry humans

Equipment

• Vitamix/high-speed blender (if grinding your own oats into flour)

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cup oats Blend into a flour using high-speed blender (alternatively can purchase oat flour if needed)
• 1 tbsp ground flaxseed
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 packed handful spinach
• 3/4 cup unsweetened plant-based milk We love organic unsweetened soy milk
• 1 ripe banana Brown spots welcomed!

Instructions

• Make a flax “egg” by combing 1 heaping tbsp of ground flaxseed with 3 tbsp water in a bowl. Let sit for about 5 minutes while preparing wet and dry ingredients.
• In a high speed blender, blend oats into a fine flour. Combine with baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Use a high speed blender once more (no need to wash in-between uses) to combine the wet ingredients. Blend the spinach, unsweetened plant-based milk (we love organic soy milk), and a ripe banana.
• Add the flax egg and blended spinach, milk, and banana to the bowl containing the dry ingredients. Mix all together until well combined into a thick batter. If too thick, pour small amounts of plant-based milk to help thin out.
• Heat a non-stick skillet to medium heat and then pour 1/4 cup of your pancake batter at a time. Once bubbling after about 2 minutes, flip over and heat the other side for another 1-2 minutes. Place on a cooling rack or serve immediately with your favorite toppings. We love fresh berries, Nutzoo, and maple syrup!