I have found that getting my children out of bed in the morning, on time,  is made far easier when the smell of pancakes is in the air.   I’ve developed this little game of sorts.  I’m not sure that the boys have picked up on my real motivation for this game.  The game begins when I walk upstairs in the hallway and announce to the still sleeping crew that the first person out of bed, dressed, and downstairs will receive a piping hot dish of homemade pancakes.  Then, I walk away.  Very simple.  Takes no advanced planning.

As I work to cook up breakfast, my ears are greeted with a most glorious sound: feet, many feet, hitting the floor, moving about quickly, trying to beat one another to the prize: hot pancakes.  See, the first boy down really thinks he’s the winner.  Little do they know that mom is really the winner here because all of her boys are now out of bed, dressed, and ready for the day.  Score one for mom!

Now about those pancakes.  Of all of the recipes that I have experimented with over the years, pancake recipes top the list.  I cannot use eggs or glutinous flour in my baking or cooking.  See my challenge?  About two years ago I did come up with a recipe that is now my standard go-to.  I still continue to experiment with my base recipe, always trying to sneak more nutrition in.  The recipe that follows is a perfect example of some of these adjustments.

The pancakes below are made with an oat, quinoa, and almond flour base.  The three together provide a hefty dose of fiber, as well as protein, vitamins, and minerals.  You may be wondering how pancakes without eggs get their lift.  A little grade school science is the trick.  Mixing in a bit of apple cider vinegar activates the baking soda in the recipe.  You will literally see the batter begin to foam.  A few quick stirs incorporates that airy foam throughout the batter, giving the pancakes their lift.

I always try to serve pancakes with some fresh fruit, like blueberries, and a bit of crunchy granola (it adds great texture).  These add-ons serve a dual purpose.  They add great flavor, and they also prevent my kids from bathing their breakfast in maple syrup.  I’ve noticed that when they add toppings to their pancakes, they use far less syrup than if they were simply plain.   Go figure!

Here’s to a healthier breakfast and to kids who are up on time!

Gluten Free Oat, Quinoa, and Almond Flour Pancakes

2 cups Bob’s Red Mil Rolled Oats (not quick), processed to a flour
1/4 cup Bob’s Red Mill Quinoa Flour
1/4 cup Bob’s Red Mill Fine Ground Almond Flour
1/4 cup Bob’s Red Mill Coconut Sugar (you may use granulated sugar instead)
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon Bob’s Red Mill Double Acting Baking Powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt
2 & 1/2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

butter for cooking

blueberries, granola, and maple syrup for toppings

 

Place all of the dry ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.  Stir the dry ingredients together on low for a minute.

Gradually pour in the almond milk, mixing on low until completely incorporated.

Add in the apple cider vinegar.  Mix for a bit (about 30 second).

Allow the batter to sit for 5 minutes.  This extra time allows the flour mixture to adsorb some of the liquid.  Skipping this resting period may yield one or two batches of very thing pancakes.

Give the batter one last stir.  Heat a griddle or pan over medium heat.  Add a small amount of butter to the pan to prevent sticking.   For larger pancakes measure out the batter by the 1/4 cup.  For smaller pancakes, measure out two tablespoons of batter per pancake.   Cook for 1-2 minutes.  The tops should begin to bubble a bit.  Flip with a thin spatula.  Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.  Serve hot!

**Please note that the batter will continue to thicken as it sits.  Should the batter be too thick, you may add additional almond milk or water, one tablespoon at a time, to loosen the batter up a bit.  This typically happens as you get to the last of the batter.