SERVES 4 TO 5 · VEGETARIAN, GF ADAPTABLE, DF ADAPTABLE
We make pancakes in our house twice a week. I love that the batter can be prepared the night before so my kids can make their own pancakes if I have to leave for work early in the morning. These are my heartiest pancakes yet, with lots of protein, fiber, and good fats to keep everyone’s blood sugar stable through the morning. My favorite part? Adding the cooked grains to the batter before flipping so the bottoms of the pancakes develop a lovely crunchy texture. Note that you can use one premixed multigrain flour or any combination of whole wheat pastry, whole spelt, buckwheat, millet, sorghum, or certified-GF oat flour; the latter four grains are gluten-free. For a refresher on these flours, see here.
1½ cups buttermilk (not DF) (see here for substitutions, including DF)
2 large eggs (see here for substitutions)
1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon pure Grade A or B maple syrup, or honey
3 tablespoons unsalted butter (not DF), melted or unrefined virgin coconut oil, melted
1½ cups mixed-grain flours (see headnote)
¼ cup flax meal, freshly ground (ground from about 2½ tablespoons of whole flaxseeds)
2 tablespoons hemp seeds
1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of ground nutmeg
1 cup cooked grains (e.g., brown rice, quinoa, millet, farro [omit last for GF])
Unrefined virgin coconut oil, melted, for brushing the griddle
1. Preheat a griddle to 375°F or heat a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat.
2. In a medium-size bowl or in a blender, combine the buttermilk, eggs, vanilla, maple syrup, and melted butter until well blended.
3. In a large bowl, combine the flours, flax meal, hemp seeds, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
4. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
5. Brush the griddle with coconut oil and spoon about ¼ cup of batter onto the griddle. Once the pancakes have set around the edges, about 1 minute, sprinkle 1 to 2 tablespoons of cooked grains evenly on the surface of each pancake. When bubbles start to form on the surface of the pancake and the edges become slightly dry, flip it over and cook for another couple of minutes, or until done. Maintain the heat at 375°F or medium-low and repeat with the remainder of the batter.
TIP: Flaxseeds cannot be digested in whole form; however, I don’t recommend preground flax meal. Because flaxseeds are high in fragile omega-3 fats that can go rancid quickly when exposed to light, heat, and air, it is much better to grind flaxseeds fresh at home. I use a coffee grinder to do this. Any flax meal you do not use can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.