Banana Spice Pancakes

1/2 c. all-purpose gluten free baking mix
1 egg
2 ripe organic bananas
1 t. vanilla (organic/fair trade)
1/2 t. non aluminum baking powder
dash 50-50 cinnamon/cayenne
1 t. cinnamon
dash nutmeg
1/4 c. water
1 T. organic virgin coconut oil or extra virgin coconut oil (frying)
1 T. honey or agave nectar

Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in beaten egg, water, and vanilla, mixing well. Stir in the cinnamon-cayenne and nutmeg. Drizzle in the agave nectar (or honey). Slice or mash in the banana and mix the batter until it is smooth.

Melt the coconut oil (or olive oil) in a large frying pan and preheat the pan to medium heat (5). Once the oil is melted, turn the heat down to 3 or 4 and spoon in batter. Cook 2 minutes until the sides bubble. Flip and cook another 2-3 minutes. Serve with a dash of cinnamon, or your choice of fresh fruit topping, Smart Balance Vegan butter, honey, or agave nectar.

Variations:
1/4 c. porridge and/or 1/4 c. raw cranberries

Buttermilk Nut Pancakes

1 c. organic buckwheat flour
1 c. organic brown rice flour
1/4 c. shredded organic no-sulfur coconut
1/2 c. deluxe mixed nuts (ours were mostly brazil nuts and cashews with a few pecans)
1 egg (free range), room temperature
1 banana, sliced
1 t. baking soda
1 t. non-Aluminum baking powder
dash sea salt
1 c. milk + 1 T. organic raw apple cider vinegar (or buttermilk)
4 T. organic virgin coconut oil, for frying

Seasonings:
2 T. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg

Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in beaten egg and buttermilk, mixing well. Stir in the coconut, whole nuts, cinnamon and nutmeg. If you are adding the brown sugar then add it now along with the sliced banana. Mix the batter until it is smooth.

Melt the coconut oil in a large fry pan and preheat the pan to medium heat (5). Once the oil is melted, turn the heat down to 3 or 4 and spoon in batter. Cook 2 minutes until the sides bubble. Flip and cook another 2-3 minutes. Serve with a dash of cinnamon, or your choice of fresh fruit topping, Smart Balance Vegan butter, honey, or agave nectar.

Cranberry Apple Pancakes

I really wanted to make something 'cranapple-ish', but I had no apple! :) So I used apple sauce...


1/2 c. frozen or fresh cranberries
handful grated organic carrot
3/4 c. organic buckwheat flour
1 t. baking soda
dash sea salt
2 T. sunflower seeds
3/4 c. apple sauce
2 T. sweetener*
2 T. organic virgin coconut oil

*You can use agave nectar, honey or organic evaporated cane juice turbinado sugar.

Mix all of the ingredients together in a large bowl and melt coconut oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Cook the pancakes on medium for about 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Serve hot with a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Sweet Bean Pancakes [Vegan]

1 can organic kidney beans, drained
2 bananas
dash sea salt
1/2 c. organic brown rice flour
1 T. aluminum free baking powder
2 T. organic virgin coconut oil (for frying)
1 T. organic coconut flour
1 T. cinnamon
1-2 T. shredded coconut
1 T. honey or agave nectar
1 T. natural brown sugar


Drain the kidney beans and add to a large bowl along with the two bananas. Mash the beans and bananas until most of the beans are pulverized (I left a few beans whole for texture and color). Once the beans and bananas are mashed, mix in the remaining ingredients. Stir the batter until it is thick and pasty.

Gently simmer the coconut oil in a frying pan until it's melted (coconut oil is solid at room temperature). Fry the pancakes on medium heat for 3-4 minutes per side or until golden brown. The pancakes are thick so the edges will not bubble up like normal pancakes; you will have to be cautious to flip the pancakes before they burn. Between batches, be sure to respray the pan and replenish coconut oil so the pancakes do not stick. Serve hot with a topping of your choice.

These pancakes are so rich on their own that they probably don't even need any topping! Yum, yum ... I ate three right out of the pan after I already had my own breakfast :) This is a great way to incorporate fiber and protein into your morning.

Pear Pancakes

I woke up at the ungodly hour of 5:30 this morning (and every morning during the week) to get to our nuclear reactions course way over at Duke on time. Jon and I live far enough away that the commute to class and our lab at Duke is about an hour from our daily combined bike, public bus, and walking excursion. It's a joy, a real pleasure trust me :) Actually, the course is great- it is just that 8:45 am time slot across town that bites.

Anyways, I woke up groggy and unprepared for mealtime with the exception of a few over ripe pears mocking me in my refrigerator. In my sleepwalking state (this is pre-coffee) I decided to teach those pears a lesson and make Jon a yummy breakfast. Mission accomplished! Now where's that coffee...?

2 ripe pears, mashed with skin
3/4 c. all purpose gluten free baking mix

1 t. sea salt
2 eggs (or egg replacer)
1 T. water
2 T. organic virgin coconut oil, for frying*
2 T. honey (or agave nectar or natural brown sugar)

Melt the coconut oil in a large fry pan. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and add to the hot skillet. Cover and cook at medium low (3) for about 2 minutes or until the sides bubble up and pop. Flip pancakes and cover, cooking at medium low heat for another 2-3 minutes or until the pancakes are golden brown. Serve hot with your choice of topping.

* You can use nonstick spray or other oil of your choice, but the coconut oil gives it a nice smell and flavor.

Spiced Flax and Apple Pancakes

3 T. ground flax
1 T. organic virgin coconut oil for frying
1 large organic apple, chopped
1 T. organic buckwheat or brown rice flour
3/4 c. water

Spices:
1 T. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg
dash cayenne & cinnamon 50-50 mix
2 cloves

Topping Options:
extra 1 T. ground flax
Smart Balance Vegan Butter
unsweetened jam
organic pear, chopped

Melt oil in a large pan and preheat to medium high heat. Grind flax in a coffee grinder and add to a large bowl with chopped apple, spices, and buckwheat (or brown rice) flour. Stir to mix together; add water slowly while stirring. The flax will absorb the water and thicken the mixture quickly. Stir until the batter is just short of runny (you can add more water to make it thinner or more flax to thicken it).

Spoon the batter into the pan and turn the heat to medium low (4 on our electric range). Cover and cook for about 4 minutes then flip pancakes with a greased spatula. Cover and cook another 3-5 minutes or until the middle of the pancakes is set. Serve hot with garnish and toppings of your choice. If you can eat flax, it is a wonderful way to start the day since it is high in the essential Omega 3 fats, protein, and is low carb (virtually all the carbs are fiber). This is filling and will keep you going without a sugar crash like many gluten free breakfast baked goods.

Apple Cinnamon Pancakes

2 small organic apples or 1 large apple, washed and chopped
1 T. rice bran
2 T. organic brown rice flour
2 T. fresh ground flax seed
1 egg (free range), room temperature
1 t. sea salt
1/2 c. water
1 T. sunflower seeds

Seasonings:
- 4-5 T. cinnamon (just give it a liberal shake or two)
- 1 t. nutmeg
- 1 t. ground ginger

Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in beaten egg and water, mixing well. Add more water as needed if the flax absorbs too much fluid; stir in the seeds, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. Spoon batter into an oiled preheated pan and cook 2-3 minutes per side or until the sides bubble. Flip and cook 1-2 minutes. Serve with a dash of cinnamon, extra ground flax, and your choice of fresh fruit topping, Smart Balance Vegan butter, honey, or agave nectar.

Serves: 4-6

Cinnamon is a great blood sugar stabilizer and is a proven natural treatment for diabetes (especially type 2). Cinnamon works best when eaten as a food rather than a pill, so get creative and add it to everything! I love the combo of cinnamon and cayenne pepper for a sweet-spicy tang that is perfect on everything from raw nuts to fresh fruit (it goes especially well with ground flax as a topping for everything).

This recipe is dairy free and gluten free.

Buckwheat and Brown Rice Apple Pancakes

1/2 c. organic buckwheat flour
1/2 c. organic brown rice flour
1/4 c. sunflower seeds
1/2 c. water (or slightly less)
1 t. baking powder (non aluminum)
1 T. organic virgin coconut oil (see Tropical Traditions)
1 free range egg
1/4 head green cabbage
3 small organic apples
2 T. cinnamon
1 dash sea salt

First puree cabbage in and one apple in Vitamix (or alternative food processor) to pulp. Separately mix dry ingredients then add chopped apples, egg, and puree mixture while mixing throughly. In large frying pan, heat 1-2 T. organic virgin coconut oil and cook pancakes on one side until the edges bubble. Flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes, depending on range heat. Serve hot with your choice of toppings- I added some organic lemon raspberry marmalade, cinnamon, and fresh ground flax.

This recipe is dairy free and gluten free.