Blueberry Pancakes

Blueberry Pancakes made with +Bob's Red Mill Organic Pancake and Waffle Mix

1 C of pancake mix

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 C sweetened vanilla almond milk plus 1tb to replace the egg

1 tb canola oil

1/4 C dried blueberries

Alton Brown's show GOOD EATS, though not vegan at all, offers great technique and some cool science behind yummy food.  Check out his pancake game here.  It is true that most people over mix their pancake, especially when there is no egg to help cushion the flour from the wet ingredients.  Leave some lumps and let your batter sit for a minute or two before pouring onto your griddle.  The pancake will cook best in the middle of the griddle on a medium flame and is ready to flip when the edges look dry and there are some bubbles/holes on the top.  The second side is done when the center of the pancake starts to look a bit like a cone in the middle.  

If you find that your batter is too thin, you can sprinkle in a small amount of mix or quick cooking oats, folding gently so you don't overmix.  If it's too thick, add a scant tsp of milk.  

I chose to use dried blueberries for a couple of reasons.  Thawed frozen blueberries work well, but are very juicy and tart.  Save them for your smoothie.   Fresh blueberries, even at room temperature or warmed in the microwave, contributes to uneven cooking of the pancake, which leads to raw and burned areas on the same cake.  BUT I'm only speaking from my own experience.  If you have luck with fresh or frozen berries, please tell me how you did it,  :P dried berries are more expensive than frozen.

I keep my pancakes on a warm plate while I cook the rest, and serve them with maple syrup warmed with a pat of Earth Balance Buttery Spread.  2 pancakes per person, maybe with a slice of protein.

IC Friendly Sunday Breakfast

Sunday breakfast can be daunting for vegan IC folks since soy is such a huge presence in veg comfort food. I have come up with a nice alternative to bran flakes and almond milk :D

Frozen hash brown patties are rad. The microwave thaw in about a minute and fry up well in a little canola oil. For low fat diets, toast them until golden brown. Also, they lack the seasonings and onion bits that are found in tater tots. And FYI, sweet potato tots always turn to mush. If you prefer sweet potatoes, slice and roast them in the oven. 

Greens are good for you. Pick greens you can tolerate, or use a pre-washed blend you know you can enjoy. Place a handful on a plate covered in a slice of Daiya cheddar and nuke for a minute or so. 

Those tasty sausages on my plate are Field Roast Apple Maple Breakfast Sausages.  They are made of gluten and have significantly less bothersome ingredients. If you need to double check the ingredients, they are listed here.  If you find that these are unsuitable for your diet, substitute with plain seitan or season gluten with apple, maple, and sage. 

Add fresh fruit, Teeccino, and a probiotic shot (I like Good Belly Straight Shot) to round out your morning. 

Happy eating :)

Harmony Valley Sausage Patties

The other day I made enough breakfast to feed an army.  I had been to +Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market and saw a new product:  Harmony Valley Sausage mix.  It was less than $3 so I figured I'd give it a shot.  I used to eat Nature's Burger and was expecting something similar, but wow was I surprised.  The patties were relatively easy to work with (keep a bowl of clean water for your hands close) and they had a great texture.  They were not grainy at all and had the same lightness of other vegan sausage patties as well as the familiar flavor.  

The other half of that platter is scrambled tofu.  When I make this dish, I let the tofu drain overnight.  I crumble it with my hands into a hot pan with a tablespoon of oil, and stir until it's crumbly and most of the water that is left cooks off.  Season with salt, pepper, Red Rooster, and ketchup.  Serve these dishes with whole grain toast and plan for an afternoon walk because this is a traditional heavy Sunday breakfast. Serves 4-6

Oatmeal Flax Pancakes

I added 2 Tb of +Bob's Red Mill ground flax meal and 1/3 C rolled oats to my basic pancake batter.  I enjoy the added fiber, omega-3s and it helps the pancakes hold together. These are best served with Earth Balance, maple syrup, and a +Silk latte flavored with your choice of Torani syrup.  And yes, that's  Tofurky in the background.