Savory Pancakes – The proper way to have breakfast for dinner!
If you have never had a savory pancake before, please try this recipe! The pancakes turn out wonderfully fluffy and the sauce is kickin’ with flavor! There are no added sugars, no soy products, no dairy, and the pancake recipe can be made with a gluten free flour mix if you choose. Word to the wise about the gluten free flour of choice; If you want the cakes to be fluffy, choose a flour mix high in starches. If you don’t care as much about a super fluffy cake, choosing a flour mix high in bean flours will provide a great source of added protein and offer an earthy flavor to this savory dish.
Our journey of food and self discovery.
Since 2014 Daniel and I have been on a journey of cutting out refined sugar products and processed foods. We started out as Paleo, cutting out all grains and processed foods, which sent our bodies into utter shock. You see, we were not that healthy to begin with. We ate out every night, Asian take-out, chicken strips & fries, and so many Little Caesar’s pizzas. There was also copious amounts of ice cream quarts consumed in one sitting between the two of us, and not to mention all of the Dr. Pepper and Monster drinks we would get on the daily. However, that all changed when I decided to leave my full-time, great paying job.
I decided to leave behind my high-stress office environment and get a job at a locally owned, small chain of health food stores. I didn’t care about the huge pay cut because the level of stress that I was currently under was taking years of my life away and I felt helpless about it. However, the deal was made with myself and I started the new position in the produce department.
The hours were great, the physical labor of unloading the truck and putting all the produce away was a breath of fresh air, literally. I had been sitting behind an office chair for at least 8 hours a day in the office and then going to college of an evening for another 3-4 hours, again in a chair behind a desk. Also, this new produce job was a great introduction in what to do with leftover produce. A lot of times if something is damaged, but still edible, we would put it in a box on a shelf and anyone in the company had dibs on taking it. This is what sent me on my first adventures of food creativity. Even though I took a pay cut for that job, I was able to bring home produce (free food)!
Oh my friends, how I love them for they have endured so many creative food adventures! There was a time that pretty much every meal was deemed “slop”, but did they complain about the flavor? Nope, flavor is at least one solid thing I’ve got (haha)!
It may take years, but be patient!
To tell you of this journey is to open wide my heart and let you know that it’s not always seemed perfect, but the journey of it all is something I would never trade and in itself, perfect. Through the years I’ve learned that plant-based food is all about the variety of texture as well as independent flavors. You must find your perfect balance through many trials and errors, but in doing so, become self-reliant! What a great gift to yourself!
Ok, onto the recipe!
Savory Pancakes
Makes about 6 pancakes
Savory Pancake Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cup alternative milk
- I use 1/4 c. raw sunflower seeds + 1 1/4 c. water – Puree in blender until smooth
- 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/4 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
Topping Ingredients:
For the tomato sauce:
- 2 cups tomatoes – You can use 16 oz of canned tomatoes as well.
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 small yellow onion, sliced thinly
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 cup roasted chilis, chopped
- 1 tsp. dried thyme
- 2 tsp. paprika
For the sour cream:
Directions for the pancake:
In a large mixing bowl add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir it well, to get all the baking soda and powder evenly distributed for ultimate fluffiness.
In a separate bowl, add the milk alternative and vinegar. Let it set for about 5 minutes, in order for the milk to “ferment”. This gives the milk a “buttermilk” tang and reacts with the baking soda to make the cakes fluffy as well.
After the minutes for the milk are up, pour it into the flour mixture and stir well. Do not over-mix as it will create a chewy consistency due to the “kneading” effect strengthening the gluten bonds.
Place a small pan on the stovetop over medium heat and allow to warm up for a couple minutes. The temperature also depends on how thick your pan is. If it’s a thinner pan, lower the heat to low-medium.
Pour 1/4 cup of the batter into the heated pan and cook for 1-2 minutes. Or until it looks like this picture:
Then flip the cake, cooking on the other side for another minute.
Directions for the tomato sauce:
Add all ingredients into a large pot over medium heat, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Remove the cover and lower the heat to low-medium. Cook for another 15 minutes. If you don’t have any roasted chilis, it’s really easy to make your own. Just take some fresh chilis or peppers from the store, lay them on a cookie sheet and broil them in the oven until they blister. Flip them and repeat on the other side. Depending on your heat tolerance, you may leave the seeds in or choose to seed them.
Storage info:
To store this recipe I suggest freezing the pancakes separately. The tomato sauce and sour cream store well in the fridge for up to a week.