December 23, 2013
Guilt-Free Pumpkin Pancakes...can it be done?
Vegan, Gluten-free, sugar-free, organic and delicious Pumpkin Pancakes…can it be done?
Every October and continuing through the holiday season I crave everything pumpkin. I was born on Halloween so maybe that has something to do with it. Literally every year I turn into a "pumpkin-holic" craving virtually anything sweet made with pumpkin.
Since I’m a vegan and eat healthy this time of year becomes very difficult for me because everything I see i.e. pumpkin pie, pumpkin ice cream has something I don’t consume in it. I don’t do milk, eggs or sugar so I find myself with no pumpkin options.
But this year something changed after talking with my sister’s boyfriend who also is a fellow "pumpkin-holic." He told me for his birthday, also in the Fall which is just furthering my theory that Fall babies love pumpkin, he had pumpkin pancakes.
Pumpkin pancakes! I had never even thought of the idea but it hit a note deep down inside of me and knew what I had to do I had to create my own vegan, gluten-free, sugar-free, organic pumpkin pancakes. Well, I had my work set out for me, could I make a tasty and delicious pancake with only healthy ingredients?
I headed to Clark’s to find all the organic ingredients I needed. I goggled vegan pumpkin pancakes and found a good recipe to start from. I needed to modify it to make it gluten-free and sugar-free. I used coconut sugar because it doesn’t affect the glycemic index like other sugars do. I also used organic brown rice flour instead of pastry flour because it is gluten-free.
My first batch the pancakes wouldn’t stay together and I was frustrated because I really wanted delicious pumpkin pancakes that weren’t bad for me. My second batch came out much better because I realized I was supposed to mix the wet ingredients in separate bowls and the combine them. Whoops! I tasted them and they were delicious, I put some earth balance “butter” and maple syrup on them and indulged myself.
Here is my recipe for guilt-free, gluten-free, sugar-free, vegan, and organic pumpkin pancakes…Enjoy!
Guilt-Free Pumpkin Pancakes
What you will need:
¾ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 tsp lemon juice
1/3 cup Pumpkin Puree
1 tbsp earth balance “butter” (melted)
½ tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp Cocomunt sugar
1tbsp Maple Syrup
1 tsp Baking Powder
½ tsp Baking Soda
Pinch of Salt
1 tsp Pumpkin Spice
¼ Cinnamon
1 cup of Brown Rice Flour
Step 1: Preheat skillet or griddle to med-high heat
Step 2: In a bowl pour Almond milk and add lemon juice, let sit and curdle for about 5 minutes
Step 3: In a separate bowl combine melted earth balance “butter,” maple syrup, pumpkin puree, coconut sugar and vanilla extract and whisk together.
Step 4: Then add the milk with the lemon juice to you butter/sugar blend
Step 5: In yet another bowl add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pumpkin spice and cinnamon.
Step 6: Then sift dry ingredients into wet ingredients stirring constantly with a whisk.
Step 7: Now is the tricky part, the cooking of the pancakes. Spray or add some earth balance or coconut oil to your skillet or griddle and measure ¼ cup of batter and pour it onto your skillet/griddle. Flip when bubbles start to appear and the edges of the pancake don’t stick to the pan (about 1 minute). Then cook for another 1-2 minjutes until golden brown and cooked through the center
Step 8: Serve and enjoy!