Savory Veggie Pancakes

Guilt-free savory pancakes! Only the healthy stuff, but still delicious. We will use garbanzo beans flour instead of the regular flour.

Blog's Category: Healthy, Perfect Breakfast, Vegan, Vegetarian

At this point of life it is one of my favorite breakfast. The beauty of this recipe is that you can use whatever vegetables you have on hand and amount of it is very approximate. You don't need eggs and you don't need dairy - chick pea flour will bind your veggies together without it :) 

You will need just one special ingredient - garbanzo bean flour. You can easily find it in Whole Foods or other similar grocery store. If you have Indian/Asian grocery store around, look for besan flour, it's practically the same thing. You can replace garbanzo bean flour with regular flour, but then pancakes won't hold nicely until you add an egg and that will be completely another animal. I would encourage you to get garbanzo bean flour. It is worth the hassle because all of the health benefits of this flour - more proteins and nutrition in general, less calories than in regular flour, less effect on blood sugar, packed with fiber.

Notes

- I used besan flour that I've got in my local Indian grocery. Besan flour is a flour made of brown chick peas. It's not exactly the same as garbanzo bean flour or chick pea flour which are the same thing. Although for this recipe you can use any subtype of garbanzo bean flour you'll find - garbanzo bean (chick pea) flour or besan.

- Pancakes will keep in a fridge for a few days. I recommend reheating leftovers in a toaster-oven to regain that nice crispy edge.

- Your pancakes will be delicious on its own, but to take it to another level serve them with your favorite dip. Here is some suggestions - Trader Joe's Vegan Kale Pesto, thinned with some water. For a hot kick serve with Spiracha sauce. For another fail-proof dip mix half-cup of mayo with one teaspoon of sriracha, minced garlic, tiny splash of sesame oil and tablespoon of water.

Savory Veggie Pancakes

• 1 medium sweet potato, peeled, steamed until fully cooked, then mashed
• 2 cups chick pea flour (aka garbanzo beans flour)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1.5 cup water
• 2 cups finely chopped broccoli
• 1 large carrot, peeled and grated
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro 
• 1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
• 1 tbs or less oil for frying (I used avocado oil)

- In a large bowl, mix together chick pea flour, salt, baking powder and turmeric. Add water gradually and whisk until smooth. 

- Add mashed potato to the batter and mix well. Add remaining ingredients, stir.

- Spoon batter onto hot lightly oiled skillet. Use spoon to form neat patties. Cook on both sides on a medium low heat until golden brown.

- Enjoy!



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IN PICTURES

 I like to steam potato but you can boil it until it completely soft.

 There is one igredient here in a picture that I didn't include in an actual recipe. It's fresh turmeric, finely minced, on a right. This is completely optional. It just happened I have it on hand this time. Fresh turmeric doesn't have such a pronounced taste and flavor as dry one.

 It's a really tiny amount of oil you need for frying..

 Some fresh vegetables on a side won't hurt. Tomatoes for example.

 Trader Joe's sells really good vegan kale pesto. To make a dip os it just thin it out with some water. Second dip in a sriracha sauce is optional ;)

Almond spread

While this almond spread can easily replace cream cheese for vegans, it deserves universal recognition as really healthy and delicious spread for bagels, bread, tortilla chips or crackers.

Blog's Category: Vegan, Appetizer, Finger Food, Healthy, Holidays, Hors D'oeuvre, Snacks

Despite the fact that I don't crave cheeses at all after switching to Whole Food Plan Based way of eating, it's nice to have convenience and versatility of "cheesy" spread. This recipe is simple and easy way to mimic cream cheese made of almond. Even seemingly tedious process of taking off skins from almond nuts is actually pretty fast and even fun!

For about 1 cup of spread:

• 1 cup raw almonds
• 1 tbsp lime juice from fresh limes (or fresh lemon juice)
• 1 tbsp nutritional yeast (see my notes in a pictures section below about nutrition yeast)
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp salt 
• 1/2 cup drinkable water
• 1 tbsp olive oil of your choice (optional)
• 1/2 tsp dry basil
• 1/2 tsp dry thyme

- Place almonds in a pot, cover with plenty of water, bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Let it cool down until you can handle it and remove skins by squeezing kernels out of their skins using your fingers.

- In a high-speed blender cup place all of the ingredients, except herbs - almonds, lime juice, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, salt and water. Process until desirable smoothness.

- Add dry herbs, mix it in and enjoy!

Notes:

- It's pretty garnished with almond flakes. They also add some texture.

- It is probably going to be delicious with some fresh herbs, such as dill, parsley, cilantro or even sage or rosemary. Just remember that sage or rosemary has to be added sparingly as those are very strong flavored herbs.

- Try it in a vegan sandwich generously smothering toasted multigrain bread with almond spread and layering some arugula and fresh bell pepper. 

- It will keep in a fridge about 3-4 days. 

- This recipe is a great recipe to make ahead as it gets even more delicious the next day.



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IN PICTURES

 Almonds are cooked and cooling down now. Not very pretty, hah? Don't worry it's going to be delish.

 Let fun begin :)

 I was making double batch, so about 2 cups of almonds.  Had job done in about 7 minutes.

Don't forget about adding water or your blender will choke.

Vegans are pretty familiar with nutritional yeast. For those scared by this weird ingredient I want to say: don't be. When I first tried the stuff I was pleasantly surprised with yummy cheese aroma and subtle umami taste. This product is nutritionally dense and delicious. If you don't like word yeast it is nice to know that yeasts are dis-activated in there. You can, of course, to omit nutritional yeast in this recipe but to be honest I don't know why I would. 

 I used Himalayan salt in this recipe, but any salt can be used.

 Garlic powder does in..

 Lime juice. Please, no bottled lime or lemon juice. Only real stuff :)

Ready to blend

 Done

 I forgot to add olive oil. No biggie. It can be blended in now.

With 3-Seed Beet crackers from Trader Joe's, this almond spread is scrumptious. It was my lunch today at work, along with pea soup :)