Cornmeal Pancakes

I made these pancakes for dinner the other night, yes dinner. Who doesn't like a little breakfast all day long? Well, I for one don't mind. This breakfast favorite with an egg kale scramble has enough protein, nutrients and freshness to love for any meal. The thing I loved about this pancake recipe was the cornmeal. They are hearty bites of goodness are fulfilling more to just the sweet tooth kind of person. In fact, these pancakes are not really about the sweetness, as much as they are about hearty whole grains. I also have to confess, that I have been dreaming up this recipe for a few weeks now. Literally, dreaming about biting into this tasty treats. I know, I am a little obsessed about food. Lately though, I have an excuse... at least I have been blaming it on that. I am pregnant. Yes, that's right. Very pregnant with my first baby. This whole journey has been a very interesting experience being a gluten-free and health freak. And maybe it has gone un-noticed, but my posts and recipes have been a little less in the past months for my lack of desire to cook in the first few weeks. Lately, I have just been HUNGRY. So, we'll see where this goes for cooking and creating recipes. Hopefully, it doesn't get too scary... and I promise I won't make any weird pickle coconut ice cream or something....well, here's for hoping at least!

Now to the recipe you will want to remember...

Cornmeal Pancakes Recipe

1/2 cup of cornmeal

1/2 cup of sorghum flour

1/4 cup of corn starch

1/2 ts of xanthan gum

2 ts. of baking powder

1/4 ts of baking soda

1/2 ts. of sea salt

3 TB of sucanat

3 TB of light olive oil

1 cup of almond or other non-dairy milk (or water will work too)

2 large farm fresh eggs

I just want to say here that if you have an allergy to corn or you are trying to avoid corn, then you can sub the corn meal for millet flour, and the corn starch for potato starch... that is if you are looking for good subs. I use organic corn products to avoid genetic modification and to keep things more pure and real. I really loved these pancakes just the way I made them above because they were perfect in every way!

Mix all the the pancake recipe ingredients together in a mixing bowl and let sit for a few minutes to let things mix and start to bubble. Lightly oil a cast iron skillet or a stainless steel griddle with a light olive oil and make sure to have the pan warm but not burning hot when you dump the batter in. I used a 1/4 cup to pour the amount of batter into the pan. I was able to do 3-4 pancakes in a pan and this recipe makes about 12-15 pancakes. Double the recipe if you are thinking of making more or having left overs :) I topped my pancakes with some fresh strawberries, lemon juice and agave nectar. But pure maple syrup or raw honey are other good options for a touch of sweetness. Or, add some cinnamon or nutmeg to the mix if you are looking to spice things up a bit. Other favorite toppings for pancakes are blueberry sauce, strawberries sauce or homemade applesauce.

I made a farm fresh egg, kale, and potato scramble as a side and to add protein and nutrients to the meal. (I roasted the potatoes first, about 1 cup cut, then added 1 cup of chopped kale, and then 4 eggs whipped with a touch of water....I just let them all cook under medium heat and whipped up an easy scramble...adding fresh herbs and italian seasoning for flavor). I used a cast iron skillet that I recently invested in and can I just for a minute brag about how much I love the skillet. It made the perfect scramble, and I really felt like I was getting so much more out of the dish. More color, flavor and nutrients, and hopefully vitamins. I switched to the cast iron to try and gain more minerals and iron into my food. Apparently, when you cook something containing iron with something acidic you get more iron in your food as well. So spinach with lemon, or beans with some vinegar or tomatoes... those are just some of the tips I have heard thus far. I am excited to see where this skillet takes me. My new favorite cooking toy!

I hope you give these pancakes a try. I really was oooing and aahhhing the whole plate-ful and if you don't believe me, you can ask my husband! And remember, pancakes at any meal can be delicious and wonderful in a Mary Poppins kind of way!

Much love to you today! Hope you feel loved and nourished.