Category Archives: Breakfast

Pumpkin Spice Pancakes

November 12, 2013

pumpkin pancakes

I bring you another Sunday morning breakfast pancake- this time with pumpkin! It is November, so if you’re not stuffing yourself with pumpkin cookies and muffins and pie then something is wrong. Perhaps, like Dustin (my husband), you don’t like pumpkin. Which is sad. But you should probably make these anyway. At least make someone else seriously happy and you never know- you might find yourself taking a bite of these perfectly sweet and fluffy pancakes and change your mind. Dustin devoured a plateful so I’m questioning his pancake hatred. Either he’s been lying to me or they’re just that good.

Pumpkin Spice Pancakes

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1 cup milk
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 large egg
2 Tbsp. canola oil or melted butter (or unsweetened applesauce)
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium bowl, whisk to combine the flours, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices. In a separate large bowl, whisk to combine the milk, pumpkin puree, egg, oil/butter/applesauce and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until just incorporated (a few lumps will remain).

2. Preheat a large nonstick skillet or griddle to medium heat (I heat my griddle to 350 F). Grease the preheated pan with butter or cooking spray. Pour batter by 1/3-cup-fulls on to the pan and bake until the bottoms are golden brown and bubbles form on the top. Flip and cook several minutes on the second side until golden and cooked through. (NOTE: Cooked pancakes can be kept warm on a sheet pan in a 200 F oven until ready to serve.) Serve with butter, maple syrup, whipped cream, etc.

Makes 8 pancakes.

(Adapted from Martha Stewart via Annie’s Eats)

Plum Poppy Seed Muffins

September 17, 2013

IMG_0511.55
My mom and sister stopped for a short visit on their cross-country road trip at the beginning of the month. (They were actually on their way from Virginia- my home- to Canada, via Chicago and Utah and Idaho. Quite the expedition. I wasn’t a bit jealous of the drive but somewhat of the destination. My mom grew up in Alberta and it’s been forever since I’ve been to visit. Her small hometown of High River- what a fitting name- was recently devastated by floods and my parents were heading to lend a hand to my family there.)

During her stay my mom generously stocked us up on groceries from Costco, to include an enormous (as is everything from said store) amount of plums. Italian prune plums exactly. They are marvelous for snacking, but we three can only eat so many so fast. Threatened by their impending expiration, I was searching for another way to use them. And then I remembered this muffin recipe from my Smitten Kitchen Cookbook. (Which I adore and cook from obsessively lately.)

These muffins are plump with plums and speckled with poppy seeds. They’re rich and moist and healthy too! I replaced the butter (browned butter would have been divine but I knew Clara and I would be eating way too many for the next few days and wanted to feel good about it) with unsweetened applesauce and cut the sugar in half. 1/4 cup brown sugar was enough (the applesauce and a dusting of turbinado on top contributed as well) for a lightly sweet muffin. And I used all whole wheat flour with no problem. Even lightened up they turned out absolutely delicious! If plums are scarce I bet you could use any available stone fruit with similar results- pears, apricots, pluots. Oh, and they freeze great. So if you have some self control and don’t devour them all immediately, you can pop them in the microwave for a warm homemade muffin anytime!

Plum Poppy Seed Muffins

INGREDIENTS

6 Tbsp. melted butter, browned and cooled (I replaced the butter with 6 Tbsp. unsweetened applesauce)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup brown sugar (or honey or pure maple syrup)
up to 1/4 cup white sugar (I omitted)
3/4 cup sour cream or plain whole-milk yogurt (or even buttermilk- you want something tangy)
1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour (or a mixture of whole wheat and all-purpose flours)
3/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. fine grain (table) salt
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
pinch nutmeg
2 Tbsp. poppy seeds
2 cups pitted and diced plums (from about 3/4 lb. Italian prune plums, though any variety would do)
turbinado sugar, for topping (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan or coat with cooking spray.

2. In a large bowl whisk together the egg and sugars. Stir in the butter (or applesauce) and sour cream (or yogurt). In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and poppy seeds. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until just combined and still a bit lumpy. Fold in the plums.

3. Divide batter among the prepared muffins cups. Sprinkle with a small amount of turbinado sugar (optional). Bake for 15-18 minutes in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool in the pan for several minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes 12 muffins.

(Adapted from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook)

Buttermilk French Toast

September 10, 2013

buttermilk french toast

I have something bold to say: when a recipe calls for buttermilk, use it. All the substitutions in the world (and I’ve tried quite a few of them) don’t do it justice. Yes, you can get by without it. Your waffles, cake, muffins, whatever will still be edible. But they won’t be near as wonderful.

I get that buttermilk isn’t something you always have on hand. So on the occasion that you encounter it on a list of ingredients it seems excessive, expensive. You’ll use some and the rest will go to waste. I promise the resulting moisture and texture and flavor of whatever you’re making will be worth the cost and inconvenience. And here’s your solution for the rest: french toast.

Buttermilk french toast batter never crossed my mind. Until I came across this recipe and I had to try it right away. And I was hooked. I’ve made it three or four times over the last few months (which is unheard of for me who is always concocting something new) and still not grown sick of it! The buttermilk (and vanilla and cinnamon) gives it an extra boost of deliciousness.

p.s. A few other uses for your buttermilk: Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting, Flaky Whole Wheat Biscuits, BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad with Cream Avocado Dressing, Browned Butter Blueberry Muffins, and Autumn Chicken and Vegetable Cobbler

Buttermilk French Toast

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. salt
dash cinnamon

6-8 thick slices challah or french bread (preferably whole grain)
butter or coconut oil, for cooking

butter, warm maple syrup, powdered sugar, and fresh berries, etc. for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. In a pie dish or square pan, whisk to combine the buttermilk, eggs, sugar, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon.

2. Preheat griddle or skillet to medium heat. Brush with butter or coconut oil.

3. Dip both sides of the bread in the egg mixture until coated thoroughly. (Alternately, the bread can be soaked in the egg mixture for up to 20 min, turning occasionally.) Drain off the excess liquid and place the slices on the preheated griddle. Cook for several minutes on the first side, until golden. Flip and cook another few minutes on the other side until puffed and golden. Serve warm with butter, maple syrup, powdered sugar, and fresh berries. (NOTE: If you are working in batches, cooked french toast can be kept warm on a sheet tray in a 250 F oven.)

Serves 2-3.

(Adapted from Gourmet and The Sprouted Kitchen)

Blueberry Buckwheat Pancakes

September 3, 2013

blueberry buckwheat pancakes

I’ve eaten and shared a lot of pancakes with you lately. I’m realizing that much like tacos or pizza there are infinite ways to make them. Some better than others. But many delicious. So it’s OK to have a stack of pancake recipes. Especially if they’re are irresistible, each in their unique way.

Buckwheat has been on my to-cook-with list lately. (I don’t actually have a list. I’m not that organized. I just keep thinking about something and soon enough get around to making it.) Perhaps I’ve been inspired by my brother’s (who is no health food fanatic, trust me) recent obsession with this healthy grain. He spent 2 years on a mission in Ukraine and came back with a love of buckwheat and beets. One time when we were all home he cooked us up a pot of gritty unsweetened buckwheat for breakfast. He was shoveling it down but no one else would touch it. (Except Clara who at that age ate anything.) His buckwheat porridge wasn’t completely horrible- just missing something. Butter? Perhaps sugar?

Which brings us to buckwheat pancakes. With blueberries- because it is still summer and blueberries make life in general better. This recipe uses a combination of buckwheat and whole wheat. You could use all buckwheat I suppose but they would be very strong- definitely not suited for beginners. The sugar (or honey) is optional- I tried them with and without and liked them better a bit sweeter. (Especially if you’re not planning to douse them in syrup.) I always recommend actually using buttermilk. All the substitutions I’ve tried never yield as good a result. And then you can choose between coconut oil and butter. I went with the coconut oil and didn’t regret it. Blueberries in the batter. More blueberries on top. You can’t go wrong.

p.s. Borscht is delicious. He was also right about the beets.

Blueberry Buckwheat Pancakes

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup buckwheat flour
1 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour (I added a few extra Tbsp. because my batter was very thin)
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. sugar or honey (optional but recommended)
2 large eggs
2 1/2 cups buttermilk
2 Tbsp. coconut oil or butter, melted
1 tsp. pure vanilla extra
1-2 cups fresh blueberries

extra butter, for greasing the pan and serving
maple syrup, powdered sugar, fresh fruit, for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar (if using).

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, coconut oil or butter, vanilla, and honey (if using). Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until just combined (lumps are OK).

3. Preheat a large skillet or griddle to medium heat. Grease with cooking spray or rub with butter.

4. Pour batter by 1/4-cup-full onto preheated pan (making sure to leave space between the pancakes as they will spread) and sprinkle blueberries on top. Cook until the bottoms are golden brown and bubbles are forming on top, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook for several minutes on the other side until golden and cooked through. (Cooked pancakes can be kept warm in a 250 F oven while you are cooking the rest.)

5. Serve warm with butter, maple syrup, powdered sugar, fresh blueberries, etc.

Serves 4-6.

(Adapted from Williams-Sonoma via The Curvy Carrot)

Peach and Sour Cream Pancakes

August 13, 2013

peach sour cream pancakeThere are two amazing things going on in this recipe: peaches + cream (a classic and forever marriage that you’ll be seeing again shortly in the form of a cake!) and sour cream + pancakes (which should be happening way more frequently because it is heavenly). Thanks to Deb of Smitten Kitchen for cleverly combining all of the above into a breakfast to-die-for. I’m realizing right now that the only thing that could have made this meal even more perfect would have been fresh sliced peaches and a dollop sweetened real whipped cream right on top. Ah, next time. Because no doubt I’ll be making them again shortly.

Peach and Sour Cream Pancakes

INGREDIENTS

1 large egg
1 cup sour cream
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
pinch nutmeg
3/4 cup all-purpose flour (I used 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour + 1/4 cup all-purpose flour)
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
butter, for pan
1 peach, halved, pitted, and very thinly sliced (about 1/8-inch slices)

butter, maple syrup, fresh peaches, and/or sweetened whipped cream, for serving (all optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl, whisk the egg, sour cream, vanilla, and sugar together. In a separate bowl, whisk to combine the salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Fold dry ingredients into wet, mixing until just combined and still a little lumpy.

2. Heat a skillet or griddle to medium heat (cast-iron works great). Brush the bottom of the pan with butter and ladle in 1/4 cup batter at a time (making sure to leave room between pancakes for spreading and flipping). Arrange two peach slices over top of the batter. When the pancakes are dry around the edges and bubbles begin to form on the top, after about 3-4 minutes, flip with a spatula in one quick movement. If any peaches slide out from underneath, nudge them back where they belong.

3. Cook for another 5 minutes, until the pancakes are golden brown on the bottom and the peaches are caramelized. (NOTE: Cooked pancakes can be kept warm on a sheet pan in a 250 F oven while you finish cooking the rest.) Serve with butter, warm maple syrup, fresh peaches, and/or sweetened whipped cream (all optional).

Makes 8 pancakes.

(Adapted from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook)