Relatively Healthy Pancakes
Relatively Healthy Pancakes
Various members of our family have started needing special diets -- no wheat, low cholesterol,
lactose-free, etc. However, pancakes were always a Sunday morning tradition. My recipes have
evolved -- from Aunt Jemima (with a dash of wheat germ thrown in) through "from scratch".
This is my present version, though perhaps it would benefit from an egg substitute. Fortunately,
none of us are on a strict sugar-free diet, so we can still cover them with maple syrup (though
obviously fruit toppings are even better.) We now use 10% Maple Rich, which is somewhat more
affordable.
Spelt flour seems to "wet" faster than wheat, so I use a bit more than a normal wheat-based
recipe. However it also seems denser. Don't expect these pancakes to be "light-and-fluffy"!
2 1/2c Spelt Flour [The best price is our local Vitamin Cottage]
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Ground Nutmeg
2 Eggs
3 tbsp Apple Butter (substitute for shortening)
1 c Milk
1 c Water
Options:
1 Chopped Banana
1/2c Chopped Walnuts
2/3c Blueberries (frozen okay)
Thoroughly mix first 5 dry ingredients, then add the rest. Fry on non-stick griddle, using 1 pat
butter/margarine (we use Smart Balance) prior to first batch.
Makes about 14 5-inch diameter pancakes.
New, gluten-free version:
2 3/4c Brown Rice Flour
1/4c Corn Starch
1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1 1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Ground Nutmeg
2 or 3 Eggs
3 tbsp Apple Butter (substitute for shortening)
~1 1/2 c Vanillay Soy Milk
Options: (same as above)
Brown rice flour appears to require more liquids, but is easy to saturate.
Add liquid slowly. Also, these cakes stick to the pan easier. I have
to regrease the pan each batch. (Sorry...) The cornstarch really is
necessary to hold the rice flour together. Finally, these don't form air bubbles
like normal pancakes to tell when they are ready to flip. I look for the bottom edges
to start to pull away from the pan.