Banana-Walnut Buckwheat Pancakes with Maple Drizzle

Place 3 tbsp raw walnut halves in a small dry skillet over medium heat. Toast for 3-5 minutes until fragrant and golden brown, then roughly chop and set aside.

Peel 2 large bananas and slice into 1/2-inch thick rounds on a bias.

In a small bowl, whisk 0.5 cup non-fat Greek yogurt with 0.5 tsp vanilla extract until smooth and airy; set aside for topping.

In a large mixing bowl, sift together 0.5 cup buckwheat flour, 0.5 cup whole wheat flour, 50g vanilla whey protein powder, 1 tsp baking powder, 0.5 tsp baking soda, and 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon.

In a separate bowl, whisk 1 large egg, 0.5 cup skim milk, 0.5 tsp vanilla extract, and 1 tsp lemon juice. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.

Using a stand mixer or hand beater, whip 2 cups liquid egg whites until soft peaks form. Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the pancake batter in three stages using a spatula, being careful not to deflate the air bubbles.

Heat a large non-stick griddle over medium heat and melt 1 tbsp unsalted butter. Ladle the batter to form 4-inch pancakes. Cook for 2-3 minutes until bubbles form on the surface, flip, and cook for another 2 minutes until golden and cooked through. Keep warm.

In a small sauté pan, melt the remaining 1 tbsp unsalted butter. Add the sliced bananas and sprinkle with the remaining 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon. Sear for 1-2 minutes per side until caramelized and soft.

Add 3 tbsp maple syrup and the toasted walnuts to the pan with the bananas. Toss gently for 1 minute over low heat to create a warm, emulsified glaze.

To serve, stack the pancakes on two plates. Top each stack with a dollop of the prepared Greek yogurt mixture, then spoon the caramelized bananas and walnut-maple drizzle over the top.