Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Who says you can't have dessert for breakfast?  Any time I can sneak a little dab of chocolate into my morning, I do.  These are a spin off on my Banana Spice Waffles, again born of the need to use up some overripe bananas.  The kids enthusiastically ate and ate and ate.  Rachel downed more pancakes than I have ever seen her eat at one sitting.

Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

2 T. baking powder

2 T. brown sugar (optional)

dash of salt

1 T. cinnamon

1 t. ginger

1 T. vanilla extract

1 large ripe banana, mashed (or two medium)

1/3 cup oil

1 1/2 cups milk

2 eggs

1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

Mix the dry ingredients together in a medium mixing bowl while your griddle heats up.  In a small mixing bowl, mash the banana, then stir in the wet ingredients.  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until well combined.  If it needs to be a little thinner (this depends on how juicy your bananas are) simply add a little more milk a bit at a time until it suits you.

Cook 1/4 cup dollops of batter on a buttered griddle for 3 or so minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through.  Immediately slather in butter and drizzle real maple syrup on top.