Sweet Potato Pancakes
My kids are serious pancake lovers. They ask for pancakes (or waffles) just about every weekend. I always plan to make a large batch on the weekends but they always get devoured before Monday, so it's back to the iron skillet on Saturday morning.
The kids' favorite pancakes are sweet potato. They love a generous pour of pure maple syrup (no butter), but I like a little butter and sorghum syrup. Sometimes I also serve them with a simple berry compote. Chopped pecans and fresh vanilla whipped cream are also a nice topper.
Bake or nuke your sweet potato the night before you plan to make the pancakes so it has time to cool completely.
Ingredients:
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
2 teaspoons sodium-free, or regular baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda (or 1 teaspoon sodium free baking soda
1 egg
1 medium sweet potato, baked soft or microwave until soft (about 8 minutes)
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground or grated nutmeg
Instructions:
1. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger in a large bowl.
2. Place the sweet potato in a food processor and pulse until well mashed. Add the egg and pulse a few times until smooth. Then add the butter, honey and vanilla, pulsing until combined. Finally add the milk and process until smooth.
3. Slowly stir the wet ingredients into the dry until you get a slightly lumpy, pourable batter. Let batter rest while you heat your skillet.
4. Start to heat a large, well seasoned cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Immediately pour in a teaspoon of canola oil. Carefully (don't burn your fingers) spread the oil around the bottom of the pan with a dry paper towel. The pan is ready when a drop of water sizzles and evaporates on the surface.
5. Pour about 1/4 cup batter in the center of the pan - this will make a medium pancake. You can use less or more depending on the size you want. Pancake is ready to flip when bubbles start to appear on the surface and the edges are slightly dry.. This should take about a minute or two.
6. Flip pancake and cook for about another minute or two. The pancake is ready when the center is firm and set.
Makes a nice mess of pancakes!
Gluten-free variant
Ingredients:
1 medium sweet potato, baked soft
4 eggs
4 tablespoons raw honey
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground or grated cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground or grated nutmeg
2/3 cup almond flour
Coconut oil
Instructions:
1. In a large bowl, scoop out the sweet potato and mash. Add the eggs and mix well. Stir in the honey and vanilla. Mix in the cinnamon and nutmeg.
3. Mix in the almond flour until you get a slightly lumpy, thick batter. Let batter rest while you heat your skillet.
4. Start to heat a large, well seasoned cast iron skillet over LOW-MEDIUM heat. Immediately add 1-2 teaspoons of coconut oil. Carefully (don't burn your fingers) spread the oil around the bottom of the pan. The pan is ready when a drop of water sizzles and evaporates on the surface.
5. Pour about 1/4 cup batter in the center of the pan and smooth with the back of a spoon. This will make a medium pancake, but you don't want it larger than your spatula. Pancake is ready to flip when the edges start to brown and dry slightly - up to 3 minutes.
6. Flip pancake and cook until golden brown. The pancake is ready when the center is firm and set.
