QUINOA PANCAKES and EASY MIXED BERRY SAUCE

For all those Moms who rock, we salute you!

Sorry I don’t know where that came from; I think I’m delirious from that giant stack of pancakes that I just downed!  That stack in the photo, mmm hmm, I ate the whole dang thing, cuz they were so dang good!

Speaking of rocking moms, not only does my Mom rock, but she is more hip than I am, and probably even more fit than I, and if she were nearby I would make her these pancakes for Mother’s Day because I love her.  Sigh…I miss my Mom….

These aren’t the usual pancakes; cuz these pancakes are made with love…and with quinoa!  Quinoa flakes actually, I’m diggin’ on the quinoa flakes because I can add them into all kinds of things without having to cook them, and sneaking in an extra dose of protein, fiber and iron! 

Quinoa pancakes are light and fluffy, top them with delectable  Easy Mixed Berry Sauce and a dollop of Greek yogurt or whipped cream and they’re knock your socks off good!

Rock Mom’s world!  Knock her socks off!  Make her Quinoa Pancakes with Mixed Berry Sauce cuz Quinoa=Love!  

Sorry, still delirious!  I vow to never down a giant stack of pancakes and then write a blog post ever again; apparently pancakes and blogging don’t mix!

Happy Mother’s Day to all of you Moms!

Here’s what you do.

Since I didn't have any buttermilk I poured 1 ½ tablespoons of white vinegar into a measuring glass, and then filled with milk to 2 cups, then I let it sit around for 15 to 20 minutes.  

The rule of thumb to make "buttermilk" is 1 tablespoon of white vinegar (or lemon juice) to 1 cup of milk. 

The recipe is for 1 ½ cups of buttermilk and ½ cup of milk, so that’s where I got my math from…it all worked out in the end!

Quinoa Flakes are an easy way to add protein, fiber and iron to pancakes and to baked goods.

Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix them well.  

The dry ingredients are whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, quinoa flakes, baking powder, salt, baking soda and cinnamon.

Since I the milk was in a large measuring glass I just added to it the vegetable oil (or melted butter), egg and vanilla extract, and gave it a whisk; a medium sized bowl also works well. 

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and then pour in the wet ingredients.

Stir just until combined, a few lumps in the batter are fine. 

 

Let the batter rest while a skillet or griddle is heating.

Coat the bottom of the pan with oil or butter and pour 1/4 to 1/3 cup of batter to make each pan cake.  

For tender pancakes, flip them when they are just a bit more than halfway cooked. 

 

These pancakes are ready to flip because the sides are dry and there are bubbles on the top.

 

Some of the bubble may burst, but if you wait for all or most of those bubbles to burst before flipping the pancakes, the pancakes will not be as soft and lovely in the center.

Give the pancakes a flip and cook just until the other side is golden brown.

If making the Easy Mixed Berry Sauce, make it before making the pancakes.

I always have these berries in my freezer, so that's what I'm using; please note there is no sugar added to these berries.

Start with 1/4 cup of honey, depending on the sweetness of the berries, more honey may need to be added later.

Also the juice of half of a lemon and 1/3 cup of water.

If you like, make it boozy!

Bring the berries to a boil and then turn the heat down to simmer the sauce just for a couple of minutes until the berries have heated through. 

Taste the sauce and see if it's sweet enough for you.  You may need to add some more honey.

Stir in a slurry made of cornstarch and water; the sauce will thicken quite quickly.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in a half teaspoon of vanilla extract.

The sauce can be served warm or cool.

You might like a dollop of Greek yogurt or whipped cream and a drizzle of honey, just to take it over the top.

QUINOA PANCAKES

Serves 4

DRY INGREDIENTS

1              cup         Whole wheat flour

½             cup         All-purpose flour

½             cup         Quinoa flakes

1              Tbsp.       Granulated sugar

1              tsp.         Baking Powder

½             tsp.         Salt

½             tsp.         Baking soda

1              tsp.         Ground cinnamon

WET INGREDIENTS

1 ½           cups       Buttermilk

½             cup         Milk

1              Tbsp.       Vegetable oil or melted butter

1                            Egg

½             tsp.        Vanilla extract

1.  Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients.  Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients into that well.  Stir just until combined, a few lumps are okay.  Allow the batter to rest for a few minutes while the pan is heating.

2.  Get a skillet or griddle hot over heat that is between medium and medium-high.  When the pan is good and hot add a little oil or butter just to coat the bottom of the pan.  Pour the batter on to the pan using a measuring cup or ladle to the size that you desire (1/4 cup to 1/3 cup makes a nice size).  When the pancakes are a bit more than half way cook the sides of the pancakes will be dry and there will be some bubbles in the top, they are ready to flip, cook until the underside is golden brown and the pancake is cooked through.

Serve immediately or keep the pancakes in a warm oven while you make the remaining pancakes.

*This is also my recipe for Whole Wheat Pancakes, so if you can't find quinoa flakes, just increase the amount of whole wheat flour to 1 1/2 cups.

EASY MIXED BERRY SAUCE

Serves 4

2              cups       Frozen mixed berries, no sugar added (or whatever kind of berries you like)

¼ to ½     cup         Honey (depending upon the sweetness of the berries)

1/3           cup         Water

2 to 4       Tbsp.       Grand Marnier (optional), the amount depends upon your taste

                            Juice of half a lemon

2              tsp.        Cornstarch  

½             tsp.        Vanilla extract

1.  Combine the frozen berries, honey (start with ¼ cup), water, Grand Marnier, and lemon juice in a medium sauce pan.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and then reduce the heat to medium-low, simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, just until the berries are hot.  Give it a taste and add more honey if needed.

2.  In a small bowl whisk together the cornstarch with 1 ½ tablespoons of cold water to make a slurry.  Stir the slurry into the berry sauce and cook while stirring for about 30 seconds, just until the liquid begins to thicken.  Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the vanilla.  If the sauce is thicker than you like, just add a touch of water.

Serve Mixed Berry Sauce warm or cold.  Serve it over pancakes, waffles, French toast, plain cake and ice cream.

*You may use fresh berries for the sauce, but increase the amount of water to 1/2 cup.

You might also like:

Bacon and Maple Stuffed French Toast

Huevos Rancheros

Oatmeal Flax Honey Wheat Bread

Maple Glazed Whole Wheat Apple Bread

I shared this recipe at :  The Weekend Potluck & Freedom Fridays