Pumpkin Oat Pancakes

Oh my goodness it's a recipe!  It's super simple, super yummy, and everything I needed was either out on the counter or on the top shelf of the cabinet or fridge.  I didn't have to bend or lift a thing, so this recipe fulfills both my requirements and those of my doctor.  It's win/win here!

Now, this recipe isn't vegan, but it would be super easy to veganize by making flax eggs.  This is what I would have usually done, but my little personal blender with the grinding blade has bitten the dust (I'm very sad about this!), and since I've been pregnant, the desire for eggs has been astronomical.  I NEVER just eat eggs under normal circumstances, but I've eaten my fair share over the last several months.  I fully plan to go back to being egg free after the baby is born.

This recipe came about, because I had a wicked craving for pancakes, but I've also never really liked plain ol' pancakes.  I'm not a huge fan of things made with refined white flour in the first place, and I'm very very picky about my pancakes anyway.  I need them to TASTE like something!  I went on an internet search to find some inspiration, and I discovered a lot of gluten free folks using oats as a flour substitute.  What a fantastic idea.  Oats are so healthy!  I decided to give it a try and a twist or twelve of my own, because you know I've got to get rid of as much added fat and as many animal products as I possibly can, and I'm surely glad I did.  These were fantastic!

Pumpkin Oat Pancakes

Ingredients:

• 2 cups traditional oatmeal (not the quick cook or instant variety)
• 2 cups almond/soy/rice/whatever milk of your choice
• ½ cup canned pumpkin (or fresh pumpkin puree-also see further notes below)
• 2 large organic eggs (I used ½ cup of Egg Beaters--much healthier.  You could also use egg replacer or the aforementioned flax eggs.)
• ½ tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp baking powder

Directions:

1.  Grind oats into flour using food processor.  As you can see, I used a blender, but that's only because the food processor weighs a bazillion pounds and was in a bottom cabinet.  The blender was on the counter, so it required no bending and lifting.  I totally recommend doing this in the food processor.  It's faster, easier, far less messy, and a breeze to clean up.

2.  Pour milk into oat flour and mix very well using a fork or wire whisk.  You'll have to pay attention here, because you need to get all of the lumps out.  It will be VERY thin.  In fact, you'll think, "I'll never be able to make batter out of this!" but trust me, you will.

4.  Soak oats in milk, storing in fridge overnight.  You need to soak at least 12 hours, and you can soak for up to 24 hours.

5.  Next morning, mix all other ingredients into the soaked oats.  Mix well.

6.  Heat griddle or large skillet over medium heat and lightly spray with olive oil.

7.  Pour about a ¼ of a cup of batter onto the skillet and cook two to three minutes, until edges start to dry and brown and bubbles form and pop on top.

8.  Flip with spatula and cook until bottom is golden brown, two to three minutes more.

Enjoy!

Notes:  If for some reason you don't want to use pumpkin, there are lots of substitutes.  You could use ½ cup of apple sauce, ½, cup of well mashed banana, ½ cup of plain soy yogurt (or dairy yogurt if you aren't trying to veganize), 4 T oil, or even 4 T of melted butter.

This recipe made a bakers dozen.