Vegan, Gluten-Free and Paleo Pancakes

The new year is off with a big bang, and, like many of you, we seriously dialed back our daily culinary experiences after a mildly gluttonous holiday. Stepping away from the table means we have been eating for sustenance and not for pleasure or entertainment. And our waists are thanking us. Plenty of vegetables, baked potatoes, salads, soups and smoothies. Always plenty of smoothies.

Truthfully, it’s been slightly boring in my kitchen for the past month. David has completely removed simple carbs from his diet and we have both been grasping for culinary inspiration. These are some of the reasons I haven’t shared any new recipes in 2020. To complicate our food program, the sparse selection of vegetables at the farmers market means I have to get creative, and I don’t have a lot of time for culinary creativity these days.

Sundays are Special

But we have to subsist on something nutritious and delicious in spite of these challenges and Sunday morning always calls for a special treat. On a recent Sunday in January, I made our favorite recipe for latkes and served them with smoked salmon, capers and red onion. Last week, David asked me to make the vegan almond flour pancakes we love. Because it’s something we both can enjoy, these pancakes were what we needed to spark up our Sunday.

We first had these vegan, gluten-free and paleo pancakes when we were in Jamaica with friends. The same chef who shared our favorite Chardonnay Dijon vinaigrette with us is the one who stunned our nifty group of nine with these sensational pancakes. Our fellow guests never questioned if they were the real deal or not. Instead, the clean eaters, heavy drinkers, gluten-free and carnivores all devoured these flapjacks. A few days later, when everyone requested more pancakes before we returned home, David and I knew this recipe was one we would hold on to.

Good and Good-for-You Pancakes

It’s been more than a year since we first had these healthy pancakes. And whenever the mood strikes, we dive back in because these won’t make you feel guilty or bloated. Light and fluffy thanks to a generous dose of baking powder, the ground cinnamon provides a boost of flavor, while the tapioca flour adds a crispness not typically found in traditional pancakes. We add sliced bananas, blueberries and chopped pecans, and these various extra layers of flavor and texture bring these good-for-you pancakes to the top of the pancake chart.

With only one bowl and seven ingredients, they come together in a jiffy. Whether you serve them for breakfast or dinner, everyone will think they are the authentic version loaded with flour, butter and sugar. But these are vegan, gluten-free and paleo and absolutely delicious. Eating healthy isn’t about deprivation, but rather using alternative ingredients that are good and good-for-you.

Buen provecho!

4.2 from 5 votes

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Vegan, Gluten-Free and Paleo Pancakes

One bowl and seven ingredients make these simple good-for-you pancakes the ones you will want when the craving strikes. Light and fluffy, and loaded with protein, top with your favorite fruits and drizzle with real maple syrup for a stellar Sunday.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Servings 4

Author The Cowgirl Gourmet thanks Chef Jerome for this easy and healthy pancake recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups almond flour
• 1/4 cup tapioca flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon sugar I use coconut sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup plant-based milk I use oat milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
• Sliced bananas, blueberries or other fruit, for serving
• Chopped nuts, such as pecans or walnuts, for serving
• Plant-based butter, butter or coconut oil, for cooking
• Maple syrup, for serving

Instructions

1. In a mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients (almond flour, tapioca, baking powder, sugar, ground cinnamon).

   

2. Add the plant milk and whisk to combine.

3. Add the vanilla and stir well.

4. Let the batter sit for 10 minutes and allow the baking powder to react. This will create a light and fluffy batter.

   

5. Using a large non-stick skillet, add some plant-based butter, butter or coconut oil and place over medium-high heat.

6. Once the oil melts and is bubbling, add 1/3 cup batter to the skillet so there is room to spread out. Add more batter to the pan as it will allow so the pancakes don't touch. Place the fruit and nuts on top and let the pancake cook, about three minutes per side, until they turn golden delicious.

   

7. When the underside is golden, flip the pancakes and cook the other side until equally golden delicious.

8. When fully cooked, serve with additional fruit and nuts on top and a generous amount of real maple syrup.

   

9. Reserve any leftover batter in the fridge for up to three days.