Pancakes of champions

OK, I know I have some good pancake recipes. They are good. Perhaps very good. For grain free low carb. But very good isn't great or fabulous, or awesome. My daughter came home for spring break. I made some pancakes, did a little improvising. She liked them. Said they were good. Polished them off. So I had to make some more.

My idea was make a batch of these on the weekend and slip them in the fridge to grab and heat in the mornings. So they had to be reheatable in the microwave. And they had to last.

So I made another batch. Again, they were good she said, perhaps better, and polished them off.

There's a pattern here you see. I cook she eats. But sadly, yesterday, we said goodby to our young one, school was beckoning. So this morning, I thought, one more try on those pancakes. I am sooo close. She kept saying she wanted fluffier. Too weighed down it seems. Taste was good, texture just not Ihoppy enough. Really? I played with nut flours and protein and water versus almond milk versus cream. I played with the measurements. With and without Blueberries. I'm crazy about blueberry pancakes.

And ultimately, I got it. It was all about the nut flour. Some are heavier and denser than others. Some have more oils and some less. So my final choice, hazelnut flour. A little odd perhaps, but oh so tasty.

So for now, anyway, here is the secret pancake recipe that if you should happen upon someone serving, you'll know where it originated. Which requires a name. 

Berry Nutty Pancakes

Ugh really? Yes. Berry Nutty Pancakes. Better than Gluten Free Protein Pancakes... who'd want those? They are though. Gluten free. Protein packed. But sometimes you want tasty not healthy. You should be able to have both.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup Chickpea/Garbanzo bean flour

2 Tablespoons Hazlenut Flour

2 Tablespoons Unflavored Whey Protein Powder

1 Tablespoon Swerve

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 Egg

1/3 cup water

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup blueberries (or any berry) optional

This recipe is pretty precise, so be careful with your measuring. Too much liquid, batter runs. No pun intended. Too much nut flour, you'll ruin the texture. It's not a forgiving recipe. Drink your coffee first. Then make the pancakes.

Whisk the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl. Add egg and mix until well blended. Add remaining liquid ingredients and stir gently. Fold in blueberries. Let the batter rest a minute.

Heat skillet or griddle with a tablespoon each of canola oil and butter, or your preferred fat. 

Add just under a 1/4 cup batter per pancake and let cook until bubbly and the edges are set. Just like regular pancakes, people. Exactly the same. Flip them over, another 45 seconds or so until browned, and you're done. 

These were so good I didn't even need syrup. I'll probably measure out a container of premixed "pancake mix" to have at the ready. Just like all those processed "low carb" mixes filled with crap on the store shelves. Only this is the good stuff.

This recipe makes about 5-6 pancakes depending on size. I usually eat only one. It's filling, and the chickpea flour does have carbs, not a lot, but more than most of us watching our intake will eat in one sitting. Each pancake has about 3 net carbs with the blueberries. Not bad. Just don't eat a whole stack.

I've tried coconut flour, but unfortunately I'm not willing to use a half a carton of eggs and the problem was they didn't reheat well in the microwave, they dried out. Probably operator error, but not a fan of dried out leftovers. I want moist, slightly sweet, yummy pancakes not made of lead... or grain. These fit the bill. Plus, they're high protein so you get a good start to the day!

Throw a few sausage links on the side, maybe some scrambled eggs... breakfast is served!