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Thursday, February 3, 2011

Gluten-Free Vegan Blueberry Pancakes

hey hey hey :) how's your week going? Thursday work-day is officially over and tomorrow is Friiiiiiday! Can you tell I'm stoked?

Clearly, blogging every day has not quite become part of my routine. It's crazy how long ago I started this blog, and yet... it still is meandering around the starting line :/ Hopefully, I can get on the ball because I have lots of fun recipes and shenanigans to share! Not to mention I should have some more "free time" due to this...
not broken, but without cable! The hubby & I have been debating canceling the cable for several years now, but every time we get close to doing it, he tells me, "but it's football season!" We do have Netflix and a computer hooked up to the TV, plus internet, so it's not like I'm completely disconnected :)

For quite some time now, I have been craving blueberry pancakes. Warm, fluffy, drizzled with maple syrup... ah, just the thought makes my mouth water. Being celiac and vegetarian-ish (I eat fish and cheese maybe once a month, but no meat / poultry since October 2009) makes it sorta tough to make good pancakes. Not that you can't, but most recipes call for a variety of flours and ingredients I tend to not have since I don't bake or make GF recipes that much. I recently bough some Bob's Red Mill Garbanzo Bean flour (one of the cheaper GF flours out there) and made this super easy, delish recipe:

Gluten-Free Vegan Blueberry Pancakes (serves one)
1 T flax meal + 1 T water to make flax 'egg'
1/4 cup garbanzo bean flour
1/4 cup water (could substitute almond milk or other non-dairy milk)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda + squirt lemon juice (to activate)
pinch sea salt
stevia and vanilla extract and cinnamon, if desired

Pre-heat non-stick skillet to medium heat. I actually found I didn't need to spray it at all (not sure why, but I always spray even if it's a non-stick surface. Double insurance? Fear of dishes? ;)) Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl. Pour in ~1/4 cup increments onto heated pan. Add blueberries (if desired). Cook until bubbles have formed on the top surface,
then carefully flip (or do the shimmy n' shake and flip without a spatula -

I didn't photograph, but this is what I did... basically, shake the skillet to ensure the pancake has cooked on the underside. Then 1-2-3, make a big movement forward and watch the lil' guy flip! Sorry if that's a bad description :/ some things must just be tried!). I was able to make 3 pancakes with this recipe, and I topped mine with real maple syrup and a bit of Smart Balance Light (they were out of earth Balance at the grocery, and SBL is vegan and GF, so not a bad back-up choice). So good!
They definitely hit the spot :)

I re-united with an old friend recently:

I could eat kale salad every. single. day. How did I ever live before the discovery of kale?! I like mine massaged with avocado, lemon, freshly ground sea salt & cracked black pepper, some minced garlic & a sprinkle of stevia. Sometimes I get crazy and add crushed red pepper flakes and nooch. It is always good! Definitely has become "comfort food."My husband jokes that we could never have kale in our garden because it would make him sad that he can't grow enough to support my 'habit.' haha!

I bought this awesome lunch box recently. Yes, I am secretly 5 years old and I love a new lunch box! Here's the eats for tomorrow:
The 3 layers stack together and have a metal strap to clip them together. So cute! It got many compliments at work today :) Cauli, cukes, baby carrots, red pepper and edemame, plus an insalata with spring mix, cauli, hemp seeds, cuke, heart of palm, grape tomatoes and (in the little container) dressing of 1/2 an orange's juice, salt & pepper and a drizzle of flax oil. I can't wait to eat it!

I had to take a mini-hiatus from running - I hurt my foot and think it may be a stress fracture :( it hasn't hurt in a few days, but I want to take it easy since my race is at the end of the month, I don't want to be hurt and miss it (since it's my first!). It's been a week since I've run and I'm so eager to get back out there! Plus, I just got my Garmin and want to test it out. How do you deal with injuries? I've been taking it easy, doing some weights and the recumbant bike. Not the same!

One thing I LOVE about living in Florida is - STRAWBERRY SEASON!!! Check these babies out:
so delicious, sweet, fragrant (they make the entire fridge smell amazing - you can't open it without diving into a juicy berry!), not to mention cheap! love it. Ever have sliced berries in your bubbly:
it's pretty much amazing. Especially when you eat the delicious champagne-soaked berries at the end ;)

well friends, I will leave you with this:
rocking the nerd glasses and curly hair :)

because sometimes I like to hide behind my (new!) side bangs.

Tell me, what "recipe" have you made recently by winging it? That's how I got lucky with the pancake recipe! Just sort of... guessed :) Love it when that happens! Or, what have you made or eaten that hit the spot?