Thursday, November 13, 2008

VEGAN, WHOLE GRAIN SOURDOUGH PANCAKES

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Since I read about the study that showed positive blood sugar responses to sourdough breads (good news for diabetics, folks with heart disease and those of us trying to lose weight-- read more about this here), I've been refreshing my starters and refining my old sourdough recipes (some of which need "veganizing).

I used to make sourdough pancakes regularly for my family. They were our favorite pancakes. Here is my newly-revised vegan version, using whole grain flours. It turned out beautifully! BTW, sourdough pancakes have a slightly different texture from regular pancakes-- fluffy, but a little more "bready". And, of course, with that sourdough tang that I love.

If you are unfamiliar with sourdough, see this post.  My San Francisco starter, how to make it vegan and how to use and care for it is at that link.  I actually have two vegan sourdough starters-- both are very reliable. I also use the "Oregon Trail Sourdough Starter", which I treat the same way. You can get a free (dried) starter (and it's a great story that goes with it) hereYou just pay postage(PS: I don't use the sugar and potato they call for in the instructions., and it works fine.)

Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S WHOLE GRAIN VEGAN SOURDOUGH PANCAKES
Servings: 4 (multiply as needed)

These are so tasty! You can get a free starter (and it's a great story that goes with it!) here. (PS: I don't use the sugar and potato they call for in the starter.) I like this combination of flours, but feel free to experiment. See this post for sourdough vegan waffles and crepes.

Sourdough Sponge:
2 cups warm water
1 cup fresh, bubbly sourdough starter (I use a starter made with white unbleached flour)
1 2/3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/3 cup brown rice flour (or you can grind small amounts of short grain brown rice to a powder in a dry coffee/spice mill)
1/2 cup corn flour (or you can grind small amounts of yellow cornmeal to a powder in a dry coffee/spice mill)

Add in morning:
1 Tbs oil
2 Tbs organic sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder

Last Addition:
2 Tbs Ener-G Egg Replacer or Orgran No-Egg powder beaten with
1/4 cup water (beat with an immersion [stick] blender until like softly-beaten egg whites)
1 tsp baking soda dissolved in 1 T. warm water

THE NIGHT BEFORE: mix together in a large bowl: the water, and sourdough starter until dissolved. Then stir in all of the flours (and/or grains) you are using.

The batter will be quite thick. Cover well and let sit in a warm place overnight. It should be thinner and bubbly in the morning. Make sure your bowl is big enough for the batter to rise.

The sponge in the morning

IN THE MORNING: stir in the oil, sugar, salt and baking powder into the batter.

Gently fold in the beaten egg replacer and the dissolved baking soda.

Let the batter rise up while you heat a large, heavy cast iron skillet or griddle, or nonstick skillet or griddle. (Lightly oil, if necessary.)

The batter, ready to cook

Cook as for ordinary pancakes but make small pancakes, at medium-high heat, using about 3 tablespoons of batter per pancake (I have a small gravy ladle that holds just the right amount). There will be bubbles in the top of the pancakes when they are ready to turn.


The bubbles start to form almost immediately

Ready to flip over

Eat immediately with vegan butter and maple syrup, OR, for a lower fat and lower calorie treat, use tofu sour creme (homemade recipe here) or cashew sour creme, or  non-dairy yogurt with applesauce or another homemade fruit sauce, or a low-sugar jam, warmed up.

Yield: makes 30-36 small pancakes or about 24 larger ones

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving):
398.4 calories; 11% calories from fat; 5.4g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 791.9mg sodium; 311.2mg potassium; 80.3g carbohydrates; 9.2g fiber; 6.8g sugar; 71.1g net carbs; 10.6g protein; 7.6 points.

VARIATIONS: (total flour for this recipe: 2 1/2 cups)

1.) Use 2 c. buckwheat flour and 1/2 c. unbleached white flour
2.) Use 1 3/4 c. whole wheat pastry flour and 3/4 c. fine bulgur wheat.
3.) For liquid, use 1 c. pureed winter squash or pumpkin, mixed with 1 and 1/2 c. water
4.) Use 1 c. quick oats and 1 and 1/2 c. unbleached white flour or whole wheat pastry flour.
5.) Use 1 c. cornmeal and 1 and 1/2 c.unbleached white flour or whole wheat pastry flour
6.) Sprinkle pancakes before turning over with well-drained blueberries or other fruit.

Enjoy!!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

We don't have access to those egg replacers hereabouts. Will chickpea or soya flour, or flaxseed gloop, work instead?

SallyT said...

I'm wondering if agave would work as the sweetener. I know it changes the results in some recipes but it looks like the quantity here is small enough to have little effect.

Bryanna Clark Grogan said...

Karen, the beaten egg replacer helps the pancakes be lighter. You can just try without it and see if it's okay for you-- I found it did improve the texture. Those are the only brands that beat up at all. Egg replacers are not interchangable in all recipes. Flaxseed may work, but it has a drying effect on some recipes (it sucks up liquid). All you can do is experiment, I'm afraid.

You can buy egg replacers online at vegan stores. Ener-G is most common in North America, Orgran is more available in Europe.

Bryanna Clark Grogan said...

Sally T., I'm sure agave would be fine, but you may want to omit 1-2 T. water from the sponge.