Sunday, September 14, 2014

Pumpkin Oatmeal Pancakes

I know, I know. Pumpkin EVERYTHING! EVERYWHERE! But it's fall, so pumpkins. So there.

I was born in central New York and raised in Connecticut. And my birthday is in October, the day before Halloween no less. So I am sure that I would be violating some sort of unwritten contract if I didn't love everything pumpkin and apple and autumnal. So it's a damn good thing I do!

I also love food blogs, but it makes me crazy when there are 8,000 pictures of the same dish before you can even see the recipe! So I won't do that to you.

I made these delicious pancakes this morning, and they are full of fiber and can be easily adapted to your own taste and dietary preferences, as well as vegan and gluten free options. They aren't too sweet, which is how I like my pancakes. I also like texture, so the addition of oats is good and adding walnuts makes them even better. Not everyone in my family likes walnuts, so I added them to the top of each individual pancake before I flipped them to the other side. I made half with and half without. I didn't soak my walnuts first because I decided when I woke up that I wanted these, and I didn't have presoaked ones on hand. You could also add diced apples, dried cranberries, raisins, ground flax seeds, pecans, almonds, sunflower seeds, hazelnuts. This already makes a boat load of pancakes (which can easily be frozen and reheated in your toaster), so remember the more stuff you add, the more you will have. But they will be so chock-full of good stuff, they will practically be like breakfast cookies! With butter and syrup!

Pumpkin Oatmeal Pancakes
In a large bowl, whisk together:
1-1/2 cups raw milk (or almond, rice, or hemp)
1 can organic pumpkin puree (or mashed sweet potato)
2 eggs (or egg substitute if you are vegan. I don't have a lot of experience with chia as an egg replacement, but if you do, go for it!)
2 tbs. melted butter or oil of your choice (coconut, grape seed)
2 tbs. unfiltered apple cider vinegar (Bragg's is what I use)


Then add:
4 tbs. brown sugar (or honey, maple syrup, or molasses)
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tbs. baking soda
1 tsp. allspice
1 tbsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. ground ginger (grate some fresh, if you have it)

Whisk briskly, then add:
2 c. all-purpose flour (or 1/2 wheat and 1/2 AP. Or a gluten free AP substitute.)
1/2 c. rolled oats (or soaked steel cut oats)
2 c. walnuts (and/or other additions)

Stir completely and thoroughly. Then drop by 1/4 cup blobs and fry in butter or oil. Serve with butter and maple syrup. Or melted fig jam. Or anything that you like!



And some thick peppered bacon goes perfectly!