sunday, monday, pancake days!

for the past few weeks my schedule has worked out as such that mondays have kind of been my sundays before going back to work for the week.  when i was little, sunday was always pancake day.  i used to love waking up to the sound of hissing butter and the scraping of the metal spatula against our cast iron skillet as my mom would cook up heaping stacks for my sister and i to devour.  however glorious it may have been, it was always sad to see them quarantined to one single day each week.  yes.  i love me some pancakes.  i'd love them all the time if i could.  so i've made it my personal mission to develop a tasty breed that loves me right back.

check it out: yummy pancakes...packed with protein, fiber, and nutrients, gluten free, using minimal grains/flour.  really satisfying, really awesome, really healthy b-fast!  protein often ends up being what my body needs most to get me moving in the mornings, and these guys definitely deliver.  they're made using 1/2 can of kidney beans, and if that sounds freaky to you, never fear.  you'd honestly never know it...what with all their cakey characteristics...and even if you did know it (perhaps because you made them using a certain recipe from a certain blog...ahem) i dare say you wouldn't even care!  they taste like pancakes, man!  who isn't into that?
now, i've made these a few times trying out different variations, and i think i can safely say i'm giving you the best, most successful recipe in the history of these beany little imposters.  this particular recipe uses buckwheat flour (which i grind myself using raw buckwheat groats in my little coffee grinder...that's just what i like best, but you could try commercial varieties as well) but i've also tried to make them using quinoa flour, and even tried to go completely flourless in the past...using only flaxmeal.  both alternate methods made for some really tricky (read: endlessly frustrating) pancake making due to the nature of both of the ingredients.  quinoa flour is just too fragile for this recipe without some serious tinkering...i was able to make the pancakes using it, but not without a lot of sticking to the pan and tearing when i tried to flip them.  flaxmeal just ended up being a nightmare to work with.  the cakes just wouldn't stay together...even as they were cooking in the pan.  the consistency was just all off.  really, i'd say buckwheat is your best bet...or if you'd like, i'm sure you could just substitute wheat flour, too.  i've thrown fresh blueberries in as well and that came out really tasty, but you do have to take some precaution if you go that route since the extra moisture can make the pancakes a little more fragile when you're flipping them.
here's the low down:

beanie buckwheat protein pancakes
(or: just cause it sounds healthy, doesn't mean it tastes bad :D)

makes about 4 pancakes (2 servings for me)

• 1/2 can red kidney beans
• 1 T raw buckwheat flour
• 1 T flaxmeal
• 1/4 cup soy (or any) milk
• 2 egg whites
• 1 T light shredded coconut
• 1 ts vanilla extract
• 1/4 ts stevia
• 1/2 ts cinnamon
• 1 ts baking powder

throw all ingredients in your blender/food processor and blend until smooth.  cook them just like you would normal pancakes: spoon a few tablespoons into a greased or oiled skillet/pan over medium low heat and cook until the top starts to get bubbly and puffy.  gently flip with a spatula and cook until the middle is cakey.  mom would be proud :)

a few creamy topping options

 (or: guess how much i love you :D)

if you wanna keep it simple, you could top these off with maple syrup like the real mccoy, or use fresh fruit, honey, fruit preserves, melted peanut butter, etc.  the first time i made these i piled them high with cashew cream which was divine:

cashew cream is one of my favorite treats.  it's absurdly easy to make, too.  it just takes a little foresight and a tiny bit of prepwork.  for a single serving, i'll generally use about 1/3 cup raw cashews.  cover them with water and soak them over night (or at least for a few hours) to soften them up.  when you're ready to make your cream, just drain the water, throw the cashews in your blender with a little splash of soy milk or water and about 1/4 ts of vanilla and blend on low until smooth.  voila.  deliciousity.  if you want to make more cream, just up the amount of cashews.  you can make the cream as thick or as thin as you'd like...just add more or less soy milk or water.  i generally like mine almost like whipped cream, so i'll only add a splash at a time to get it to the right consistency.

but wait, there's more!  lately, i've been really into tofu whip...especially as a topping for these.  this is just as easy, if not more so, since it requires no prep work beforehand.  i just throw about 3 oz (about 1/5 block) of soft tofu into the blender with 1 1/2 T honey and a little dash of cinnamon and blend until smooth, adding a teenie bit of soy if needed.  you could use maple syrup or agave as well...i just really like honey.

now go get in the kitchen and bust out the skillet!  pancake day is officially not just sundays anymore!
 ...just don't tell mom ;)