My most recent creation is now a staple recipe that we enjoy as breakfast and as a snack! It’s the NAPNAC- not a pancake, not a cookie. Originally I named it a PACOOKIE, but after polling you on Instagram, the name NAPNAC (that my sister came up with) won!

The NAPNAC was born after my failed attempt to make vegan pancakes. I’ve never succeeded in making vegan pancakes that actually taste and feel like traditional fluffy pancakes. When I made the “vegan pancakes,” I realized that I couldn’t truly enjoy them when I was trying to fit them into the pancake box!

Once I embraced that they were not a pancake and not a cookie, I could enjoy them as the nutrient-dense delicious creation that they were!

So, I’m sharing the recipe with you in hopes that you too can embrace the throw-great-ingredients-into-a-bowl-and-enjoy-the-creation-however-it-ends-up method of cooking!

The absolute best part about NAPNACs is that you literally can’t mess up. They don’t have a defined texture or look! This recipe epitomizes what I love about cooking with nutrient-rich, delicious ingredients: you can throw them together and end up with something tasty and nutritious (even if it’s not definable).

I used zero waste ingredients from Sun & Swell. Sun & Swell sells all of its food in compostable or glass packaging. Usually I avoid compostable packaging because it gives a false sense of security- if you don’t actually compost the compostable packaging, it doesn’t matter that it’s compostable! Most compostable packaging is only commercially compostable, not backyard compostable. If you don’t have access to commercial composting, the packaging ends up in landfill anyway.

Thankfully Sun & Swell has a send back program whereby you can send back the commercially compostable packaging for proper disposal! (You can get the mailer for free using code ABBY.C10 after adding the mailer to your cart and you can fit A LOT of the compostable packaging into one mailer!). I now stock up on organic staples - nuts, seeds, whole grains, dried fruit, etc. - from Sun & Swell. My green heart is feeling much better!

Enjoy the NAPNACs and let me know what you think!

NAPNAC- not a cookie, not a pancake, totally delicious

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cup (7 ounces) oats

• 1 cup almonds

• 2/3 - 1 cup nut milk (almond, cashew, walnut)

• 2 overripe bananas

• 1 baked japanese sweet potato*

• 4 tbsp chia seeds

• 1 tbsp cinnamon

• Pinch of salt (optional)

• coconut oil or avocado oil for cooking

Directions

1. Place the oats and almonds into a food processor and process until ground up, about 2 minutes. Once it looks like oat and almond flour, transfer the flour mixture to a large mixing bowl.

2. Add the chia seeds, cinnamon and salt to the mixing bowl with the flour and mix well.

3. Mash the bananas and sweet potato in a separate bowl (or blend in a blender) and add the mash and the nut milk to the large mixing bowl. Mix really well until all combined. (If it seems too dry, add more nut milk).

4. Heat coconut/avocado oil on a pan over medium heat.

5. Once the oil is warm, transfer the batter to the pan one heaping spoonful at a time. Shape the batter into circles-ish.

6. Leave the NAPNACs to cook untouched for 2-3 minutes and then flip and cook on the other side for 1-2 minutes.

7. Once cooked, enjoy them with optional toppings- nut butter, more cinnamon, berries.

8. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. (You can eat them cold straight out of the fridge or pop them into the toaster to heat them up!).

*You can sub 1-2 more overripe bananas instead of using the Japanese sweet potato.

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