Buckwheat & Oat Pancakes

I have been making oat pancakes for ages, they are one of my favourite breakfasts and I much prefer them to thin pancakes. But making a gluten-free, sugar-free, dairy and egg-free pancake mix that still tastes great and has a perfect texture, well that has taken me some time! These pancakes have been the best yet. They were the most satisfying, most nutritious and wholesome I have created.

I do my best to avoid refined foods, and that includes flour. I have to get gluten-free anyway, but not all gluten-free flours are created equal, and some work better in certain recipes than others. For pancakes I have tried a ready mixed gluten-free flour, the best one being Bob’s Red Mill. But I still didn’t quite like the texture it gave. I have also tried making different mixes myself, playing with the ratios and including some sorghum flour as well. But I really want to get away from any refined and white flours. I use stoneground and organic when possible. The stoneground flours are not refined and therefore still have the germ which contains the fibre, oils, vitamins and minerals present in the grain. I have also usually had to use Xanthan Gum in other recipes, which I would prefer not to as it doesn’t agree with some people.  Finally, I have found buckwheat to be my flour of choice. Full of its own flavour, and lots of fibre and minerals, its a nutrient dense choice.  I have been using both ‘flax-eggs’ and chia gel instead of eggs, which, as it turns out, means I don’t need to worry about adding any Xanthan gum. They both add moisture and softness to the pancakes. I prefer using chia gel, as an egg replacer you use 1 tablespoon chia seeds to 3 tablespoons water for every egg. I think it gives a much better texture than ‘flax-eggs’, which are made using ground flaxseed and water with the same ratios. Flaxseed really gives a thick paste-like texture which made it hard for me to move the mix around in the pan. I found it a little ‘gloopy’. Milk and sugar are easy to replace with whatever is your personal preference. I’ve recently switched to dates, date syrup or black strap molasses as my sweeteners of choice.

This time, I splashed out and bought myself a decent pancake pan. It makes a world of difference. I got a ‘green pan’ which has a non stick Thermolon ceramic surface, meaning even heat and no need for any oil! They contain no nasty chemicals, no harmful fumes and manufactured with a 60% CO2 reduction. More than that, it was a breeze to flip the pancakes and cooked them to perfection. I highly recommend the investment.

My pancakes pictured are dripping in some fresh seasonal rhubarb, blended with frozen bananas.

This recipe makes 6 large thick pancakes

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 10-15 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup oats, gluten free if needed
• 1/2 cup buckwheat flour
• 1 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder
• 1/4 cup date sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup oat milk
• 1 cup almond milk
• 2 tablespoons chia seeds soaked in 6 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon date syrup ( optional )

Directions

1. Make your chia gel first and let it soak a bit and turn into a gel while you mix all the other ingredients.
2. Mix all dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
3. Add milk and syrup,  mix well.
4. Lastly mix in chia gel.
5. Heat pan.
6. Once pan has heated, add soup ladles of pancake mix to the pan and, holding the handle, swirl the mix till it has spread easily around the pan.
7. Cook for a few minutes until bubbles appear, take a peak at the bottom and if golden, flip your pancake and cook the other side until also golden.
8. Continue with remainder of the mix

Serve immediately, with seasonal fruits, maple syrup, coconut yoghurt and lemon juice.