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

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!

The pancakes just before we devoured them this morning.

Why a hemp pancake mix?
Below is the recipe for a multi-grain vegan pancake mix that I originally devised for a proposed hemp book. That book 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.

Here are some Hemp Facts from The Hempsters:

"* The Declaration of Independence and US Constitution were drafted on hemp paper.
* The first American Flag was made out of hemp.
* George Washington and Thomas Jefferson both grew hemp.
* The finest bible paper remains hemp-based even today.
* The first Levi Jeans were made from hemp.
* The canvas on the covered wagons of American pioneers heading west was made of hemp.
* The rigging sails of every ship that sailed the high seas during the 18th and 19th centuries was made of hemp.
* Hemp was money and was used to pay taxes for over 200 years."

Hemp Seeds

"WHY HEMP, YOU ASK?

Hemp can provide a valuable ecological solution to help our civilization transform its economy from relying on non-renewable disappearing resource bases such as petroleum and fossil fuels to a more natural, sustainable economic one, such as plants.

Our reliance on non-renewable fossil fuels releases large amounts of carbon dioxide and other pollutants into the environment, which affects our health, our future and our economy and ultimately the sustainability of our species and others on Earth as seen by the dramatic climatic events seen around the globe.

Switching our reliance to a renewable resource such as plants for energy and other materials will help us come back into balance with nature and reduce pollution.

Hemp offers an opportunity to develop agricultural and processing methods that do not harm the environment as it is biodegradable, natural and it will not end up in our landfills."

"WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HEMP AND MARIJUANA?

The big difference between hemp and marijuana is the seeds from which it is grown.
Hemp cannot get you “high” as industrial hemp seeds have very minimal THC levels (the psychoactive ingredient), typically less than 0.3%. Canada’s hemp production is regulated by Health Canada through a licensing program where farms that grow hemp are inspected and the crop is tested to ensure the THC levels are below 0.3%."

UPDATE ABOUT GROWING HEMP IN THE USA: "South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster recently signed into law a bill that allows for the growth and sale of hemp. House Bill 3559 establishes a hemp pilot program that will award 20 licenses permitting farmers to grow, harvest and sell hemp in South Carolina. Each grower will be able to cultivate up to 20 acres of the crop.
With the bill signed into law, South Carolina becomes the 31st U.S. state to allow hemp cultivation or pilot programs under the federal 2014 Farm Bill. Its program will be managed by the South Carolina Department of Agriculture." https://news.medicalmarijuanainc.com/south-carolina-becomes-31st-state-legalize-hemp-cultivation/  It has been legal to grow hemp in Canada since mid-1998.

The Hemp Pancake Mix-- you see, it's not green.

Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S MULTI-GRAIN, HEMP PROTEIN PANCAKE MIX (There are some options if you don't want to use hemp.)

These pancakes can be mixed up in a few minutes and taste almost like the white kind, yet have plenty of fiber and grains in them, plus the goodness of hemp seed!  This is a variation of my Vegan All-American "Buttermilk" Pancake Mix.

Dry Ingredients for Mix—- whisk together well in a large bowl:
3 cup whole wheat pastry flour (use white wheat whole wheat pastry flour, if possible)
1 cup oat flour (you can just grind oatmeal in a dry blender until fine)
3/4 cup corn flour ** (see below) OR millet flour
1/2 cup hemp protein powder
1/4 cup golden flaxseed, ground in a clean, dry blender or electric coffee/spice mill (one that is NOT used for coffee!)
1/4 cup brown rice flour (Brown rice flour can also be made in small amounts in a clean, dry electric coffee/spice grinder. Grind as finely as possible.)
2 tablespoons granulated organic sugar
4 teaspoons Ener-G or Orgran egg replacer powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking powder

Rub in:
1/4 cup oil of your choice

Keep in a tight container, refrigerated. STIR BEFORE MEASURING OUT.


MAKING THE BATTER (stir mix before measuring):
ADD each 2 cups of mix (12-16 pancakes):
1 tablespoon lemon juice plus water to make 1 1/2 cups

ADD to each 1 cup of mix (6-8 pancakes):
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice plus water to make 3/4 cup

ADD to each 2/3 cup of mix (6-4 pancakes):
1 tablespoon lemon juice plus water to make 1/2 cup

ADD to each 1/2 cup of mix (3-4 pancakes):
3/4 teaspoon lemon juice plus water to make 6 tablespoons

To make the pancakes:
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 good, heavy skillet, on top of the stove (I find this makes nicer pancakes than my electric griddle, but it's up to you) and spray with oil from a pump-sprayer ( or rub with an oil-spoaked paper towel) before each batch. Drops of water should sizzle when sprinkled on the surface if it's ready.

Spoon heaping tablespoonfuls of the batter onto the hot, oiled griddle or skillet and spread it out gently to a 4" circle with the back of the spoon. (I used a tiny ladle that holds 1 and 1/2 T. and that was perfect.) 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 plastic 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 topping of your choice. Yum!
© Bryanna Clark Grogan 2008

Servings: 16
Yield: (4 batches of 12-16 pancakes-- each batch of 2 cups mix)

Nutrition Facts (Nutrition facts are for 1/2 cup mix, which makes 4 small pancakes)
Nutrition (per serving): 247.2 calories; 26% calories from fat; 7.3g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 400.2mg sodium; 237.2mg potassium; 38.9g carbohydrates; 6.0g fiber; 2.0g sugar; 32.9g net carbs; 8.3g protein; 4.8 points.

Cooking Tips
**Corn Flour:
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. I can find it in the Asian or Indian section of my supermarkets, but also look for it in Indian (East Asian) markets and health food stores.

If you can't find corn flour, or if you prefer to use organic products, 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!

We don't eat fat-free, but I try to keep the fat to a minimum, for various reasons. Here are a coupld of our favorite recipes that are fat-free or made with minimal fat, but still are enjoyable.

With many recipes, you can lower the fat, or even eliminate it, by steam-frying onions, etc., instead of sauteing them. (See the bottom of this post for how to do this.) To do this, use a well-seasoned stir-fry pan (flat-bottomed wok). Alternately, use a heavy well-seasoned cast iron or anodized aluminum skillet, lightly lubricated with about 1/2 teaspoon of oil brushed onto the cold pan with your fingertips.  (Stainless steel and carbon steel pans can also be seasoned to have an almost-non-stick surface. Just Google "How to season a stainless steel skillet" or whichever type you want to make nonstick.)

When I do add fat, I tend to use a little bit of dark roasted sesame oil most often, because a little bit adds alot of flavor.


Creamy bean-based broccoli-cauliflower soup with smoked paprika and dill garnish

Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S CREAMY BROCCOLI-CAULIFLOWER-AND-WHITE BEAN SOUP 
Servings: 4
A very simple concept-- you simmer cooked white beans with whatever vegetable you like , then puree it for a thick and creamy soup, without potatoes, starches, butter, cream, or nuts.

1 1/2 cups well-cooked or canned white beans (15 ounce can), rinsed and drained (such as white kidney beans, cannellini beans, navy beans, or Great Northern beans)
1/2 a medium onion, chopped
1 large clove garlic, chopped
1/2 pound fresh broccoli, trimmed and chopped
1/2 pound fresh cauliflower, trimmed and chopped
2 cups chicken-style vegetarian broth (Better Than Bouillon No-Chicken is my favorite)
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly-ground black pepper to taste

Steam-fry (see the bottom of this post for how to do this) the onion and garlic for 5 minutes over high heat in a large well-seasoned heavy skillet sprayed with a little oil from a pump sprayer, adding drops of water as needed to keep from sticking. (Or cook in a microwave oven in a covered microwave-proof casserole for 3 minutes.) Don't brown the onions.

Add this to the beans, vegetables, broth, and salt in a medium pot. Bring to a boil, cover, turn down to medium-low, and simmer about 10-15 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.

Puree right in the pot with an immersion/stick blender, OR, with a slotted spoon, transfer all the solids to the food processor or blender and puree until smooth. (Important caution: Leave an escape in the lid for steam, or else hot veggies will explode all over you!). Add a bit of the broth, then stir the pureed mixture back into the pot. Taste for salt and pepper. Garnish each serving with dried dill weed and smoked paprika or sweet paprika.

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving): 129.7 calories; 3% calories from fat; 0.6g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 268.3mg sodium; 745.3mg potassium; 24.0g carbohydrates; 4.5g fiber; 0.9g sugar; 19.5g net carbs; 9.9g protein; 1.8 points.

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Blueberry pancakes made with half oat flour and half wholewheat pastry flour

Printable Copy

BRYANNA'S BLUEBERRY-OAT PANCAKES
Servings: 6
Yield: makes about 24 four-inch pancakes
This is a great basic high-fiber, but very light and tender pancake recipe, due to the oat flour and wholewheat pastry flour.

1 1/2 cups oat flour ( you can use 1 1/3 cups rolled oats ground fine in a dry blender or, in batches, in a  clean dry electric coffee/spice mill)
1 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour (do not substitute ordinary whole wheat flour or the pancakes will be tough)
2 Tbs brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 large pinch nutmeg
1 large pinch cinnamon
2 cups minus 1 Tbs nondairy milk
1 cup water
1 Tbs lemon juice
1 Tbs oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup small fresh or frozen blueberries, placed in a small sieve over a bowl to drain

In a large bowl, whisk the oat flour, pastry flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon together well. Add the soymilk, water, lemon juice, oil, and vanilla. Stir briefly, just to mix-- lumps are okay. (This batter is a little more runny than ordinary pancake batter.)

Heat a nonstick electric griddle (which cooks very evenly), or a well-seasoned cast iron griddle or skillet, over high heat. When it's hot (drops of water dance on the surface when sprinkled on, the disappear quickly), turn it down to medium-high (about 325 degrees F for electric griddle). Spray with a little oil from a pump sprayer. Spoon the batter onto the surface, not crowding, because they spread a little. You can make small pancakes, about 4" across , or larger ones, whichever you prefer.

Sprinkle a few blueberries over the top of the pancake immediately after forming the pancake batter in the pan.

When bubbles appear on the tops, flip the pancakes over gently, loosening the bottoms carefully.

When the underside is golden and the inside is cooked (you can check one with a fork to make sure), serve them immediately. Don't overcook these-- they should still be kind of puffy when you take them off the griddle. If you let them overcook, they'll go flat and won't be as light and cakey as they should be. Serve hot with low-sugar syrup or fruit topping, such as low-sugar jam.

Nutrition Facts 
Nutrition (per 4 pancakes): 177.2 calories; 19% calories from fat; 3.9g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 566.7mg sodium; 338.2mg potassium; 31.0g carbohydrates; 5.1g fiber; 4.5g sugar; 25.9g net carbs; 6.9g protein; 3.1 points.




BRYANNA’S METHOD OF  STEAM-FRYING

Steam-Frying, or Sautéing without Fat (including caramelizing)

Steam-frying simply means sautéing or stir-frying without fat.  To do this, use a well-seasoned stir-fry pan (flat-bottomed wok). Alternately, use a heavy well-seasoned cast iron or anodized aluminum skillet, lightly lubricated with about 1/2 teaspoon of oil brushed onto the cold pan with your fingertips.  (Stainless steel and carbon steel pans can also be seasoned to have an almost-non-stick surface. (Just Google "How to season a stainless steel skillet" or whichever type you want to make nonstick.)

Heat the pan over medium heat, add the chopped onions or other vegetablesyou are using (sometimes referred to as “aromatics”), salt them lightly to bring out the natural liquids, which helps soften the vegetables, and add one or two tablespoons of liquid (water, low-sodium vegetarian broth, or wine), depending on the amount of vegetables.   Do not crowd the pan, or your vegetables will stew.  Turn up the heat to high and cook over high heat until the liquid starts to evaporate, stirring with a wooden or plastic spatula or spoon.  Keep stirring until the vegetables are done to your liking, adding just enough liquid to keep the vegetables from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Variations: (PS: I collect Pyrex casseroles, bowls and lids from thrift stores to use in the microwave.)
*To “Micro-Steam-Fry”, use a microwave-safe glass dish, such as a round 10” Pyrex casserole dish or pie plate.  Add the chopped onions, garlic, carrots, celery, or whatever vegetables you want to sauté.  Cover the dish with a Pyrex lid or microwavable plate, and microwave 5 minutes, or however long it takes to soften them.  This method is convenient because you don’t have to watch the vegetables— you can be preparing the rest of the recipe while they cook.  Just add the softened vegetables to the recipe.  This method is not great for browning, however.

* You can brown, or caramelize, onions without fat perfectly by tweaking the steam-fry method.  You will need to use a heavy large, heavy seasoned skillet-- see first paragraph.

Combine your thinly-sliced onions with 1/2 teaspoon salt for each 2 large onions, in medium microwave-safe bowl or casserole. Cover with a microwave-safe plate or lid (not touching the onion), and microwave on high power until onions begin to soften and tips turn slightly translucent, 4 to 6 minutes, stirring once halfway through cooking (be careful of steam).  If you cook more than 2 large onions, it will take longer.

Place the cooked onions in your heavy well-seasoned skillet (see first paragraph) over high heat. As soon as the natural sugar in the onions starts to brown on the bottom and edges of the pan, add a little liquid and, using a wooden or plastic spoon or spatuala, scrape up the brown bits, mixing them into the liquids and around into the cooking onions.  Keep doing this until the onions are soft and brown as you like them, being careful not to scorch them.  You can keep going until the onions are dark brown if you want them caramelized.

Enjoy!