Breakfast / Brunch,  Gluten-free

Key Lime Pancakes gluten free

September 21, 2014

Key Lime pancakes

Sunday morning. So quiet. So peaceful.

I remember my mom preparing a huge breakfast every Sunday before church. Never was the same served.  Sometimes pancakes or waffles, other times scrambled eggs, sunny side up eggs, poached eggs, lightly buttered toast cut diagonally, which tasted better than cut rectangle, peeled and segmented fresh grapefruit and the smell of percolating coffee waking us up.

It was all so normal to me until one Sunday morning when my childhood best friend slept over. It was about 7am when she woke hearing a clicking sound from the kitchen. “Is that your mother walking around in her heels this early?” Well…of course…she’s making breakfast.
Doesn’t everyone’s mother get up early, hair perfectly teased, dressed and in her heels to make breakfast?

Sadly or gladly, I have to admit, I do not follow her Sunday ritual. Early in my marriage I did, mostly when family or friends visited, but that was called brunch, not breakfast. When it was just my kids and I, Sunday breakfast was occasionally a big deal, especially on a holiday. As the years went by, my kids slept in later and why spoil my morning by insisting we three wake early to eat.

And now, it’s the carbs I closely watch, balancing my meals, eating healthy and clean. I’ve come to realize that gluten doesn’t do well for me. I’m not intolerant, just sensitive. Pancakes became a treat I only indulged in on my birthday. Huge blueberry pancakes.

Until now. Everywhere you look there are gluten-free recipes. Several years ago I would bake gluten-free cheesecakes and pies for a woman who had a hard time finding desserts she could eat. Now she doesn’t need me 🙁

What I didn’t like about gluten free baking is that flour. All those strange ingredients combined to make ‘flour’.

What I did find I liked using was garbanzo bean flour, almond, millet, buckwheat, oat, hazelnut and chestnut flour. I was really finding interesting flours that contained no gluten. I know not all these flours used individually bake well, but it’s been fun experimenting!

Oat flour has become my simplest and inexpensive way to bake. It’s sold as oat flour, but so easily can instant oatmeal be processed into oat flour. I just grab my food processor and make a batch of flour.  And now I can have pancakes!  Every Sunday!

Key Limes2

Made healthy, this recipe uses Greek yogurt, fresh squeezed key limes, unsweetened coconut, flax meal and rice milk. Surprising, the lime gives the pancakes a light and refreshing taste!  This makes about 10 pancakes. I have two and freeze the rest, so most Sundays are very relaxing as I don’t even have to dirty a pan!

Key Lime Pancakes

1/4 cup Greek yogurt

1/2 cup rice milk, or milk of your choice

1 tablespoon coconut oil

Zest from 1 key lime, or regular lime, about 1/2 teaspoon

1 tablespoon key lime juice or regular lime

2 eggs

1 cup oat flour

1 heaping tablespoon unsweetened shredded coconut

1 tablespoon flax meal

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon cardamom

In a small bowl mix together the wet ingredients, yogurt through the eggs. Place the dry ingredients in a large bowl and stir to combine. Pour in the wet ingredients into the dry and stir just to combine. Don’t over mix. Allow to sit while heating the griddle.

Heat  a large cast iron griddle or skillet. Lightly oil with butter or cooking spray.  If the batter appears too thick, add a bit more milk.   Pour 1/4 cup batter for each pancake, cook for about 3 minutes and flip, cooking for another 1-2 minutes.  Serve immediately. Makes about 10 pancakes. For freezing, place pancakes on a baking sheet, when frozen, bag up in freezer bag and use within a month.

I love being in the kitchen. Early mornings, soft music, a hot espresso. Easing into the preparation of delicious meals. Glancing through cookbooks, gathering inspiration and planning my day. I look forward to the cycles of the seasons, the pleasures of tasting and savoring and sharing this with those dear to me. Weekends are special to me as my week days are often rushed, but still I create the ambiance, light the candles, set the table and uncork the wine.

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