October 2018 | The Honest Spoon

Hey friends. It’s been a while. Summer had me crazy busy. Then the kids started school and I started a new job! It’s been an exciting few months. I’m finally getting into back into swing of things!! Feels good!!

I was away for two weeks on a work trip where we visited four countries in two weeks (Taiwan, China, Korea, and Vietnam). The trip was amazing!! I learn so much- both personally and professionally- from every trip I take. I love it!! However, four countries in two weeks is a bit exhausting. But It was worth every bit of lost sleep and the flu we all brought home (planes are disgusting).

On the downside, eating out three meals a day for two weeks took a toll on me. I am not much for going out to eat. Coffee? Yes and Thank You. Drinks? Absolutely. Dessert? Hell yes!! But I do not enjoy the eating out part. When I’m home, I cook everyday & I try to eat pretty clean during the week.Weekends we have the occasional cheat meal or small indulgence, Restaurant meals, specifically Western hotels in Asian countries, are heavy on the calories. Needless to say, I was looking forward to getting home on getting back on track!!

It’s been a while since I made these pancakes. I forgot how damn finicky they are! Usually, I don’t bother with anything less than simple. But these pancakes are worth every curse that flies out of my mouth when I make them.

But have no fear! The cursing usually only flies for the first one! PRO tip! Make ONE test pancake! Butter or spray your pan- even if it’s non stick!! This is not typical pancake batter and you cannot treat it the same. I highly suggest you cook them for the full two minutes on medium/low before you even think to check for that golden brown color we love so much!! Second PRO tip!! Once you hit that glorious golden brown get your spatula fully seated underneath your pancake before you flip!

They’re seriously delicious and worth every minute of that first annoying bit of trial and error. Let me know what you think!!

HEALTH NUT PANCAKES

| makes 8-10 |

DRY INGREDIENTS :

• 3/4 Cup Oats (measure, then grind)

• 3/4 Cups Whole Wheat Flour

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 2 teaspoons baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 Cup Almonds (Measure, then grind fine. You can use almond meal here if you’d like)

• 1/4 Cup Walnuts or Pecans (Measure, then grind fine)

WET INGREDIENTS :

• 1 1/2 Cups Buttermilk

• 1/4 Cup Vegetable Oil

• 1 egg

• 1/4 Cup Sugar

METHOD:

1. Preheat your cooktop or electric griddle to medium/ low heat.

2. Add the dry ingredients to a bowl. Whisk together.

3. In a separate bowl or large capacity mixing cup, add the wet ingredients.  Whisk together well. 

4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry. Whisk together.

5.  Spray griddle with a nonstick cooking spray. Or, use about a teaspoon of butter. DO NOT skip this step!

6. Ladle about 1/3 cup of batter into circles on heated griddle. Aim for pancakes about 4 inches in diameter. Repeat for as many pancakes can fit on your griddle. Leave about two inches between pancakes so you have room to flip!

7. Cook each side about  2-3 minutes, until golden brown on each side. TIP: These are finicky! I suggest you start with one to ensure you have a good non stick surface & get comfortable with the batter. Also, if you turn these too soon they will crumble on you before you can flip them. Be sure to get a nice golden brown and cook for a two minutes before you check for color. You want to be able to fully slide the spatula underneath before you flip.

8. Serve immediately or keep warm in an oven that has been preheated to 185 degrees. Keep in oven no more than 30 minutes.

Generally I top these with a little ghee, some fresh berries and maple sryup. These are a decadent and protein rich breakfast that will fill you up fast!! Enjoy!!