Vegan Pancakes, October Captured

“If we can live healthy, productive lives without bringing harm to others, why wouldn’t we?” ~ Jenny Brown

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In my household, pancakes are the Elixir of Life.  The quickest of the quick breads, an energy-sucking oven not required.  I like to nibble on them at odd times of the day — not just for breakfast — and since they have the added bonus of being crumb-free, the kids can eat them at their desks.  (Without syrup, of course.)

You should try them dipped in warm curried butternut squash soup. They are so yummy I have a hard time calling them a health food.  To us vegans, though, they kind of are.

When I was still in my 20’s, I’d memorized my Mee-Maw’s recipe.  It was simple and easily fixed, especially on a hangover morning (of which there were many).  All that was needed was a quick trip to the grocery for some buttermilk, “sweet milk,” my Pee-Paw called it.  I wantonly chucked all the ingredients (flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, butter, egg, and buttermilk) into the same bowl, and poured cakes on the griddle while I sipped coffee.  I would buy a pint of fresh buttermilk just for this indulgent weekend pleasure, and chug or chuck the 3/4 cup left that remained, depending upon how bad my head hurt.

A few years ago, we went vegan.  Goodbye buttermilk. Mee-Maw’s pancakes officially went under construction.

For more than a year, I tried several combinations and permutations with hit-or-miss success. Turned out all I needed was a rotten banana.  With a non-animal-based buttermilk, a viable egg replacer (Ener-G brand), and a tweak to the flours (I added ground flax and swapped half the all-purpose flour with whole wheat), the result was a moist, tantalizing and not-too-flavorful mini-cake.

Whether or not you are interested in the benefits of being vegan, or even making your own milk (!!), these pancakes are beyond easy.  Eating foods just for pleasure (like pancakes) shouldn’t require animal suffering of any kind.  Once you make them, you will agree that it’s such an easy thing to change, you’ll wonder if it’s possible to live without dairy or eggs in any amount.  (Psst.  It is.)

I wouldn’t know about how they work on hangovers, though.

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Mee-Maw's Healthed-up Vegan Not-Buttermilk Pancakes

• Servings: 2-4
• Time: 20 mins
• Difficulty: Easy
• Print

Ingredients:

• 1-1/4 cups buttermilk soy, coconut, or almond milk + 1 Tbsp vinegar (or lemon juice)
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup ground flax seed (Omega 3’s, vegans!)
• 1 very ripe banana, peel removed
• 1 tbsp melted butter coconut oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 egg 1-1/2 tsp Ener-G egg replacer + 2 Tbsp water
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• -optional- 1 tsp cinnamon (or pumpkin pie spice)

Tools that might help:  small food processor, non-stick skillet or electric griddle, wide spatula

Directions:

1. Measure the milk into a small bowl. I use a half-and-half combo most of the time, soy, coconut, or almond — whatever I have on hand. Add the vinegar and stir slightly and set aside to allow for coagulation.
2. Preheat a non-stick skillet or griddle to a medium heat.  I set my induction burner and non-stick skillet to 5 (on a 1-10 scale).
3. Whisk together in medium bowl the flours and flax.  Don’t worry about the measuring method; this recipe is very forgiving for over- or under-measuring.
4. Blend together (better in a small food processor) the remaining ingredients starting with banana (brown skin is best!) and pulse a few times until smooth.
5. Combine all three — the banana mixture on top of the flour, the milk after that.  Mix with a spoon without over-mixing.  It should be a little lumpy when mixed — this is okay!
6. Spoon the batter onto the griddle into whatever size you like.  As the batter cooks, the bubble-holes made from the steam will eventually stop falling back onto themselves; flip it and cook just a bit longer, a few seconds.  Remove from heat.  You’ll get the hang of it.
7. Leftovers refrigerate well and are easily warmed in the microwave or served cold for a quick treat.  Cheers!

Shannon @ DirtNKids Blog
http://www.dirtnkids.wordpress.com