Bryanna Clark Grogan’s Vegan Feast Kitchen/ 23rd Century Table

 

UPDATE: Last night I noticed that I had mistakenly typed the number of pancakes in the recipe as 14. That should have been 24!  I have since corrected this mistake in the recipe and also posted a new Nutrition Facts label below the recipe.  Sorry for any confusion!

Yikes!  It's been 5 months since I last blogged!  You might have thought that I'd be posting like mad during this pandemic time, when we're pretty much isolating here in the woods. It's not as though I'm not cooking!  I cook quite a bit. But I've been mostly revisiting recipes from my own cookbooks and cooking notes, re-discovering (and sometimes improving on)  dishes that I developed many years ago.  Which has been fun, I must say.  But I haven't been inventing new recipes very often, I confess. So, it feels good to post again, with a recipe that I'm quite proud of.  

What is Shrove Tuesday and what does it have to do with pancakes?  Here's a short history.  It's known as "Mardi Gras" in French-speaking regions (including New Orleans, as I'm sure you are aware). "Mardi Gras" means "Fat Tuesday", the day before Ash Wednesday, when Christian Lent begins.  It's referred to as "Fat Tuesday" because fat and eggs, etc. had to be used up before the Lenten fast. Cakes, rich breads and pastries, and pancakes were made in order to consume these foods and not let them go to waste, and also to let loose and celebrate before the fast. Pancakes seem to be a nearly universal way to celebrate.

I actually had pancakes for breakfast this morning, even though I had forgotten it was Shrove Tuesday. Yesterday I had made some batter for grain and bean-based Indian crepes called Adai.  These were made with soaked, split. skinned mung beans (mung dal), oatmeal and chickpea flour.  They were so easy to make and quick to cook, AND nutritious and delicious. I'll post the recipe soon. (There are two other Indian crepe recipes listed below.)

So, pancakes and crepes can be made out of all sorts of ingredients and they can be sweet or savory.  I've compiled a list (with links to the appropriate blog post) of all the pancake and crepe recipes currently on my blog.  They are all delightful for any meal of the day.  A few can only loosely be described as pancakes, being flat or flattish, but no matter, they are all delicious.

Of course, being vegan and often low-fat, these recipes are not necessarily the best way to use up fat (and certainly not eggs and milk), but you can always slather them with vegan butter to keep the spirit of the day. And, vegans don't have to "give up" meat, eggs, dairy products and animal fat, but any excuse to eat pancakes!

NORTH AMERICAN-STYLE PANCAKES (or pancakes that are normally eaten with sweet toppings or fillings):

VEGAN ALL-AMERICAN "BUTTERMILK" PANCAKE MIX "I wanted a healthful vegan mix that produced a light, fluffy, white pancake (it's full of whole grains, but it looks white!). I also wanted it to have very few additions, so that it was really quick and easy. You only have to add water and a little lemon juice to this mix, and it produces pancakes you can be proud to serve to children, picky eaters, omnis, anybody!"

MULTI-GRAIN, HEMP PROTEIN PANCAKE MIX (There are some options if you don't want to use hemp.) "Why a hemp pancake mix? This is a multi-grain vegan pancake mix that I originally devised for a proposed hemp book. That deal fell through, but it's a good mix, and a fun way to add some hemp to your diet. You can read about the ecological benefits of hemp here. Hemp can play a role in an anti-inflammatory diet, since it is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Hemp is a good source of fiber and protein, and it is a very sustainable, versatile crop that can grow in North America without pesticides! It is grown in many countries, including Canada, and is considered a good crop to replace tobacco." WHOLE GRAIN VEGAN SOURDOUGH PANCAKES "Here is my vegan version [of sourdough pancakes, 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."              VEGAN ORANGE-CRANBERRY-PECAN MULTIGRAIN                      "BUTTERMILK" PANCAKES (Can be GF and SF) "Light, fluffy ALL-whole-grain vegan pancakes with the added fiber and antioxidants of flax, cranberries, and pecans. You can use this recipe as a template for plain multi-grain pancakes or pancakes with other flavors, fruits and nuts or seeds...They contain four different kinds of whole grain flour, a combo that makes a very light pancake.  I like to keep all of these flours together in the freezer to have at a moment's notice when we feel like having pancakes, without scrambling around to find everything."                               BLUEBERRY-OAT PANCAKES (No-Fat) "This is a great basic high-fiber, but very light and tender pancake recipe, due to the oat flour and wholewheat pastry flour."                          FAT-FREE WHOLE GRAIN VEGAN CREPES "When I was at the McDougall Celebrity Weekend in Santa Rosa in June [2008] , we were not supposed to use any added fat or oil, even pan-spray on the pans. I was planning to make no-fat crepes made with whole wheat pastry flour, chickpea flour and oat flour. In the nonstick pans Mary [McDougall] provided, I made about 50 crepes for audience tasting, and then, in the workshop, I made several in front of the audience, with no mishaps. They were very impressed, and Chef Kevin Dunn told me he never would have tried that! This is the crepe recipe I made at that McDougall event." SAVORY PANCAKES, CREPES, ETC.: FERMENTED OAT AND URAD DAL UTTAPAM (SAVORY OR SWEET)

"Uttapam (or ooththappam or Uthappa) is a South Indian or Tamil pancake-like dish made with a batter of grain (such as rice, semolina or millet), or grain and legumes, similar to dosa batter. Dosa is thinner and crepe-like--sometimes crisp and sometimes softer. Uttapam is a thick pancake, with toppings of vegetables added to the "pancake" when it is just ready to be flipped over. Uttapam is sometimes called an "Indian pizza".  It's a common breakfast and snack food in Southern India."   PS: There is also a fruit variation!

             MOONG DAL ADAI OR PESARATTU (INDIAN CREPES )

"These crepes are a type of dosa that is made only from dal and is unfermented. These are actually a bit sturdier than the crepes we're used to, but they fold and roll nicely. You can just eat them with chutney or an Indian-style vegetable stir-fry, or with a more elaborate vegetable curry, if you like. They can be eaten for breakfast, as a snack, or for a lunch or supper dish. (They would be great for a gluten-free diet, too.)... this simple, delicious, nourishing, and filling meal was so inexpensive to make!"

VEGAN OKONOMIYAKI (JAPANESE OMELET OR PANCAKE) (Can be GF and Soy-free)

"I've worked on this recipe on-and-off for a little while. Besides making them vegan, I wanted to use ingredients that most North Americans would be able to obtain easily. These vegan savory omelets or pancakes, however you choose to think of them, are so simple, cheap and quick to make, but absolutely addictive!  They originated as frugal street food and were eaten often in the days of reconstruction after WWII."

FARINATA (FAINÁ) (ITALIAN CHICKPEA FLOUR "PANCAKE") 

"So what is this mysterious “pancake”? It’s a delicious and nourishing snack food, a flatbread, really. In Nice, their version, Socca, is a street food, cooked huge copper pans over wood burners (rather than baked), pieces eaten out of hand like French fries in a cone of paper with lots of pepper. In Italy, it is eaten at home, with a knife and fork, or at a bar. In Genoa, there are farinata bakeries everywhere. In Argentina, they eat it on pizza! Both Italians and Niçois will tell you that it should not be made at home and it won’t taste the same if it’s not made over a wood-fired stove or in a wood-fired oven, but, trust me, a very reasonable approximation can be made and enjoyed at home!...This from my book Nonna's Italian Kitchen.

This is a thin version, which I prefer. You can sprinkle the top with chopped garlic and rosemary, thyme or sage before baking, if you like. Ligurians, who eat it with a knife and fork, sometimes also top it with thinly sliced onions or green onions, or even slices of baby artichoke. I like the leftovers cold, too. (UPDATE: Here's another great way to serve farinata.)"

   BROWN RICE AND LENTIL ADAI (INDIAN DOSAS OR CREPES)  

For some reason, I've always been fascinated with recipes using plain beans and whole grains that are soaked and ground and used to make delicious, simple and healthful breakfast treats, breads and snacks. We need more recipes like this under our belts, so to speak, to get through hard financial times in good health and spirits... I used to make this type of dosa years ago for my children for breakfast.  They loved it and I still do!"  (These crepes are gluten-free and soy-free, BTW.)

                         PERSIAN-STYLE VEGAN POTATO PATTIES 
                                                 (Kuku Sib-Zamini) GF

In Arabic and Persian cuisines there is a type of thick baked omelet or fritatta that can utilize almost any vegetable (but always contains some green herbs).  It can be eaten hot or cold and is often used as a picnic food.  In Arabic it is called "eggah" ( عجة ʻaggah or ʻajjah) and in Perisan it is called "kuku" (کوکو).  According to food historian Alan Davidson, these are most probably the origin of Italian fritattas and Spanish tortillas (not the Mexican corn variety)... Sometimes the mixture is made into "pancakes" or "patties" and is shallow-fried in oil or clarified butter instead of baked.  This is the type of thing I wanted to try, but, of course, egg-free and made with only a little oil.  I also wanted to make the potato variety because it sounded nicely substantial and I thought the potato would help hold things together. (It can be made with eggplant, parsley and green onions, leeks, broad beans, spinach and other greens, cauliflower, squash...)  I decided to try a mixture of mashed tofu and chickpea flour instead of the egg....It was super simple to make and very tasty—open to alot of variation, too, so I will be playing with it further. I think the potato did help, but you could probably use less if it was baked—something for further experimentation."

Enjoy!

Cranberries are one of my favorite foods and the holiday season gives me plenty of opportunities to use this tart, healthful fruit in many dishes, both sweet and savory.  I'm going to devote the next three days' posts, the remaining days of MoFo, to the cranberry and its uses, along with three of my favorite recipes using this ruby-red berry (in the case of the aforementioned recipes, it will be in the dried form).

I developed this recipe about 3 years ago when I was determined to make a light, fluffy vegan pancake that was all whole grains but didn't SCREAM whole grain.  For a holiday recipe, I added one of my favorite flavor  trios: orange, cranberry and pecans.

Some of you may know that I'm in favor of using our healthful, antioxidant-rich North American berries, such as cranberries, blueberries, blackberries and currants, instead of jumping on every passing bandwagon of exotic, supposed "super-fruit" (such as goji or acai, for instance).  I wrote a bit of a rant about this, as a matter of fact, about 4 years ago, so I'll let you read it if you like, rather than repeating myself.

But a few facts: Native Americans used cranberries for food and medicine, both raw or or cooked and sweetened with maple sugar. In addition, they used them in poultices for treating wounds, and the leaves for diarrhea and urinary disorders. Cranberries were also used to prevent scurvy.

Cranberry juice may prevent the formation of certain types of kidney stones. A glass or two of cranberry juice every day for 1 to 2 weeks will increase the acidity of the urine, and decrease the risk of a kidney stone formation. As an added bonus,cranberry juice does not contain high levels of oxalate, a substance which can promote the formation of kidney stones.

That's enough science for today-- more facts to follow in the next 2 days!  Give the pancakes a try.  They contain four different kinds of whole grain flour, a combo that makes a very light pancake.  I like to keep all of these flours together in the freezer to have at a moment's notice when we feel like having pancakes, without scrambling around to find everything.
Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S VEGAN ORANGE-CRANBERRY-PECAN MULTIGRAIN "BUTTERMILK" PANCAKES (Can be GF and SF)
Serves 8
Yield: about 32/ 3 1/2" pancakes
Light, fluffy ALL-whole-grain vegan pancakes with the added fiber and antioxidants of flax, cranberries, and pecans. You can use this recipe as a template for plain multi-grain pancakes or pancakes with other flavors, fruits and nuts or seeds.

VEGAN "BUTTERMILK":
Juice of 2 medium organic oranges + soy, hemp or nut milk added to make 2 1/2 cups
Grated zest of 2 organic medium oranges
VEGAN "EGGS":
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons golden flaxseeds, ground in a dry electric coffee/spice mill (one that is NOT used for coffee)
2 teaspoons Ener-G or Orgran No-Egg egg replacer powder
DRY INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour OR a whole grain-based GF flour mix (such as this one)
1/2 cup oat flour (or grind rolled oats to powder in a DRY blender or coffee/spice mill and then measure)
6 tablespoons corn flour (NOT cornstarch—corn flour is finely-ground cornmeal; you can grind cornmeal as for the oats above if you can’t find corn flour in a HFS)
2 tablespoons brown rice flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
ADDITIONS:
2/3 cup dried cranberries, chopped
1/3 cup chopped pecans
WET MIX:
Vegan "Buttermilk" (above)
Vegan "Eggs" (above)
2 tablespoons oil
VARIATION: For plain pancakes or other flavors: omit the orange juice and use 2 tablespoons lemon juice plus non-dairy milk to make 2 1/2 cups). Omit the cranberries and nuts for plain pancakes, or use other dried fruits and nuts or seeds.

Step 1) Mix the juice and nondairy milk of choice and set aside. (This is the vegan "buttermilk".)

Step 2) Heat up your pancake griddle- - you can use good, heavy, large nonstick or seasoned cast iron skillet or griddle on top of the stove instead, or an electric griddle-- and spray with oil from a pump-sprayer or wipe with non-hydrogenated shortening before each batch. You may want to wait until your batter is almost finished before heating the pan/griddle on medium-high heat. Drops of water should sizzle when sprinkled on the surface if it's ready. (On the flat plate[s] of an indoor grill, use the high or "sear" setting.)

Step 3) Mix together the Dry Mix ingredients together in a medium bowl-- I use a whisk. Stir in the cranberries and pecans. Set aside.

Step 4) Mix the water, ground golden flaxseed and the egg replacer powder with a hand/immersion (stick) blender or electric hand mixer until like a thick, frothy egg white. (If you don't grind the flaxseeds first, you will have to use a regular blender or VitaMix to blend the wet mixture.)

Step 5) For the Wet Mix, combine the Vegan "Buttermilk" and the Vegan "Eggs" together briefly, and stir in the oil. Pour it into the Dry Mix. Whisk briefly just until no dry flour is visible-- it will be lumpy and quite thick.

Step 6) Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of the batter onto the hot, oiled griddle and spread it out gently to a 3 1/2" circle with the back of the spoon. (I use a small gravy ladle that holds about 3 tablespoons of batter and that's perfect.) Cook until it has puffed a bit, bubbles appear in the surface and the bottoms are golden.

Carefully loosen with a spatula/pancake turner (if using a plastic one, make sure that it has a nice thin edge on it) and turn over gently. The center will rise a bit and be set, and the other side golden when done. Don't overcook the pancakes, or they fall and lose their lightness.

Serve on warm plates with Earth Balance and warm syrup (we like real maple syrup) or amber agave nectar. Yum!

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per 4 pancakes): 415.0 calories; 20% calories from fat; 10.0g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 310.8mg sodium; 373.9mg potassium; 77.5g carbohydrates; 10.4g fiber; 3.5g sugar; 67.1g net carbs; 7.2g protein; 8.3 points.

WITHOUT THE NUTS AND DRIED FRUIT the nutrition facts are as follows: 
Nutrition (per 4 pancakes): 214.2 calories; 24% calories from fat; 5.9g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 309.0mg sodium; 332.3mg potassium; 36.3g carbohydrates; 6.8g fiber; 3.3g sugar; 29.5g net carbs; 6.8g protein; 4.0 points.

Enjoy!

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) here. You 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!!

The Chefs at the 2007 Vegetarian Awakening Conference in Grand Rapids, MI. Back Row, L to R: Derek Sarno, Chad Sarno, Tal Ronnen, Kevin Dunn, Sualua Tupolo. Front Row, L to R: Ian Brandt, Cathi DiCocco, Eric Tucker, Fran Costigan, and myself.

I wanted something simple but different for breakfast this morning. I love dosa--Indian crepes-- so I made an "instant" version (as opposed to a fermented batter, which is traditional) and we loved it! We had some with homemade plum chutney and some with a little Earth Balance. Other possibilities would be more traditional Indian chutneys, soy yogurt, soy creme cheese, grilled curried fruit, leftover veggies, scrambled tofu.... (For the recipe, wait for a new book coming out late in 2010!)

For cooking the dosa, you don't need any special cookware. Use a flat griddle or very shallow skillet. For the using the least fat, use a nonstick version, or, if you prefer, use hard-anodized cookware or good old-fashioned seasoned cast iron. This traditional 10.5" American cast iron round pancake griddle (available at Target for under $15) would do just fine:


Here's a Calphalon hard-anodized square 11" griddle for about $20:



(Target and many other stores have an array of different griddles and flat skillets that would work for dosa-- these are only examples of inexpensive possibilities.)

If you cook lots of dosa, here's an electric dosa tawa, sold in the USA and Canada!




Enjoy!

 I devised this mix a couple of years ago for my [now defunct] subscriber newsletter, The Vegan Feast, and I wanted a healthful vegan mix that produced a light, fluffy, white pancake (it's full of whole grains, but it looks white!). I also wanted it to have very few additions, so that it was really quick and easy. You only have to add water and a little lemon juice to this mix, and it produces pancakes you can be proud to serve to children, picky eaters, omnis, anybody!

I make double, sometimes even triple, the recipe most of the time, to have it on hand for company breakfasts, or mornings like today, when we want a quick treat. So here's a little gift for you:


Printable Recipe
BRYANNA'S VEGAN ALL-AMERICAN "BUTTERMILK" PANCAKE MIX
Servings: 12
Yield: 8 cups

Enough for 4 batches of 12/ 3" pancakes each batch; 2 c. mix per batch)

These can be mixed up in a minute and taste almost like the white kind, but have plenty of fiber and grains in them! I looked at the labels of pancake mixes and found that many of them contain rice flour and corn flour, so I added them (whole grain, though, of course!) and found they did improve the finished product!
NOTE: To make the mix with ALL wholegrain flour, the only change you have to make is to use 3 cups whole wheat pastry flour (white whole wheat pastry flour would be good!) plus 1 cup oat flour (rolled oats ground in a DRY blender or coffee/spice mill) in place of the 2 cups unbleached white flour and 2 cups wholewheat pastry flour in the mix recipe. The rest of the recipe is the same.

2 cup unbleached white flour (See NOTE above)
2 cup whole wheat pastry flour-- white whole wheat pastry flour would be good!(DO NOT use regular whole wheat flour, or the pancakes will be tough!)
3/4 cup corn flour (**see Cooking Tips below)
1/2 cup soy flour (or use chickpea flour if you are allergic to soy)
1/4 cup golden flaxseed, ground in a dry electric coffee mill (one that is NOT used for coffee!)
1/4 cup brown rice flour (Brown rice flour can also be made in a clean, dry coffee/spice grinder. Grind as finely as possible.)
2 Tbs unbleached organic sugar
4 tsp Ener-G or Orgran egg replacer powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup oil of your choice

TO MAKE THE MIX:
Ideally, mix the ingredients together in a dry food processor. If you don't have one, whisk the dry ingredients together well in a bowl, then rub in the oil with your fingers. Keep in a tight jar, refrigerated, unless you use it up fast. STIR BEFORE MEASURING OUT.

T0 MAKE 12/ 3" PANCAKES WITH 2 CUPS OF THE MIX, ADD:
1 1/2 cups water
1 Tbs. lemon juice

Place mix in a medium bowl. Dump the lemon juice and water into the dry ingredients and whisk briefly just until no dry flour is visible-- it will be lumpy and quite thick.

Let stand while you heat up your pancake griddle or skillet-- seasoned cast iron or carbon steel is good.  Drops of water should sizzle when sprinkled on the surface of the pan if it's hot enough. Turn the heat down to medium.


Spoon heaping tablespoonfuls of the batter onto the hot, oiled griddle and spread it out gently to a 3" circle with the back of the spoon. (I used a tiny ladle that holds 1 1/2 Tbs. batter and that's perfect. If you want larger pancakes, use a ladle that hold 3 Tbs. batter; the yield will be about 9 pancakes.) Cook until it has puffed a bit, bubbles appear in the surface and the bottoms are golden-brown.


Carefully loosen with a spatula (if using a silicone spatula, make sure that it has a nice thin edge on it) and turn over gently. The center will rise a bit and be firm, and the other side golden when done. Don't overcook, or they fall and are heavy.


Serve on warm plates with vegan butter (optional) and warm syrup (we like real maple syrup), or a low-sugar jam or fruit sauce-- whatever is your fancy! Yum!

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving): 270.2 calories; 24% calories from fat; 7.5g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 370.8mg sodium; 293.4mg potassium; 44.8g carbohydrates; 5.6g fiber; 2.6g sugar; 39.2g net carbs; 7.6g protein; 5.2 points.

Cooking Tips

**CORN FLOUR: As a thickener, corn flour creates a pale yellow "buttery" or "eggy" color in the finished product that is much more appetizing than turmeric (which tends to have a greenish cast and, therefore, looks phony).

It also contributes a "buttery" flavor or even an "eggy" flavor. It blends to a creamy smooth texture after it's cooked in liquid and then blended with more liquid. Adding a tiny bit of vegan butter gives it an even more buttery taste with very few calories in the finished product, but, in most cases it is not even necessary.

You can create soy-free vegan sauces and spreads, if that is a concern to you, and smooth, creamy products without the expense of silken tofu. Corn flour mixtures cook well in the microwave.

Corn flour is not the same as cornstarch (confusingly, what we call "cornstarch" in North America is referred to as "corn flour" in the UK)- it's very finely-ground yellow cornmeal. Nor is it the same as "masa harina", the corn flour used for making tortillas, which is treated with lime. It is available in the Asian or Indian section of many large supermarkets supermarkets (SaveOn and SuperStore here in BC, Canada), but also look for it in Indian markets and health food stores, which have organic brands.

Basically, use half again as much corn flour as cornstarch, if converting a recipe.

NOTE: IF YOU CAN'T FIND CORN FLOUR, if you prefer to use organic products and can't find the organic kind, grind the finest yellow cornmeal you can find in a clean coffee/spice mill until it is powdery (this is important), or grind yellow cornmeal on the finest setting of your electric grain mill (I had to run it through mine twice).

Enjoy!