It may be a little early for pumpkin, but I recently heard (and keep hearing) that Labor Day is the “unofficial end of summer.” That means it’s “unofficially” fall. Yes, school buses are ambling through the neighborhood, the leaves are starting to turn, the sun is setting earlier. I love it all. Fall is my favorite time of year and pumpkin is one of my favorite foods to cook with.
I’ve been working on a wheat-free recipe for pumpkin pancakes. I love pumpkin pancakes and I love oatmeal pancakes, so I combined the two! I’m pretty sure I tolerate oats OK. I’ve recently thought of eliminating them from my diet to see if I feel any better, but I’m just not ready to give them up yet. I do love them so. Gluten-free oats are now available in specialty and natural foods stores. Oats are generally free of gluten themselves, but in the processing, they can pick up gluten contaminants. However, from what I understand, there is a protein in oats that people still may be sensitive to. I’m usually fine using regular (not gluten-free) oats with my wheat intolerance/fructose malabsorption.
Here’s what I came up. I think they are pretty darn good. I like that it makes a nice big batch, so I can freeze the leftovers. There’s nothing like eating pancakes during the week, or anytime. These are so good, I’ll probably end up making them year-round.
Pumpkin Oat Pancakes
(Wheat-Free, Gluten-Free)
makes about 10 pancakes
Ingredients
1 cup oats (quick or old-fashioned, gluten-free if desired)
1 cup almond flour
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 cup milk (cow’s, almond, soy, or whatever you like)
3 large eggs
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Directions
- In a food processor, blender or coffee grinder, grind the oats until it reaches a flour-like consistency.
- In a large bowl, stir together the ground oats, almond flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves until well combined.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the milk, eggs, pumpkin, melted butter and lemon juice until well combined.
- Add the milk mixture to the oat mixture and mix well. Let batter stand for at least 5 to 10 minutes to thicken up.
- Heat a griddle to 350 degrees F, or heat a skillet over medium-low heat. Lightly grease if necessary.
- Pour batter by the 1/4 cup-fulls onto griddle or skillet. When bubbles start to form on top, flip. Continue cooking other side until golden brown.
- Serve with maple syrup and bacon or sausage and feel your heart start to warm with the joys of autumn.
