Quinoa Almond Pancakes
I don’t know about you guys, but I love breakfast.
(apparently I also love instagramming my breakfast…)
And I’m not just talking love, love. I LOVE, love breakfast. In fact, I’ve been known to have not one, but two – sometimes even three! – breakfasts in a day. First breakfast, second breakfast, third breakfast, breakfast for dinner.. I eat like a hobbit. Is that weird?! But really, the better question is: how many more times can I use the work breakfast right now?
During the workweek, first breakfast is usually some Greek yogurt – with the works. You name it, I’ve probably added it to my yogurt: ground flaxseed, toasted almonds, shredded coconut, mini chocolate chips, honey, peanut butter, nutella (um, always nutella). I have such a sweet tooth and SUCH a hard time starting my day off with something savory. And Greek yogurt by itself is pretty bitter, so I’m pretty sure the yogurt gods meant for it to be doctored up a bit.
Second breakfast is usually cereal. The nutritional value isn’t great, but in my mind it’s balanced out by the yogurt (don’t question me). Honey Bunches of Oats (with almonds!) is my go to, but I’m also perfectly okay with most varieties of Cheerios. If I’m feeling extra hungry that day (i.e., if I ate my face off the day before and stretched my stomach to the point of needing 17 meals before I’m anything resembling full), I’ll top it off with third breakfast (elevensies, anyone?) – a banana or maybe toast with some jam. OR, if I’m lucky, a homemade biscotti or two with my third cup of coffee. Wait, did I say biscotti? I mayyyyy have a recipe in the works for you guys :)
Anywho, weekend breakfasts are definitely my favorite (and the whole point of this post). At least one of the two days, my whole family is together in the morning – cooking and talking and laughing and eating and annoying the ever-living shit out of each other. There could be five different meals happening at once – and there often are, because no one can ever agree on any one thing. The boys require meat and/or carbs to get them moving (you know, to prepare them for a long day of napping and video game playing), whereas my mom and I typically opt for something on the healthier side – basically so that we can stuff our faces for the rest of the day and not feel as guilty.
That said, our go-to for the last year or so has been pancakes.
‘Pancakes?!’, you ask incredulously. ‘That cannot possibly be healthy!’
But alas – they can be (duh, guys). Of course, I’m not talking about your white flour, butter and sugar-filled kind of pancakes. No no no…. if you know me in real life, you’d already know that those ingredients only make an appearance around Christmastime. The pancakes I’m talking about here are made using almond flour, quinoa, coconut oil and natural maple syrup instead of the aforementioned ingredients. And they are… heavenly.
Now hold up. Before you turn your nose at these pancakes, hear me out. They are sweet and nutty and deliciously surprising. And, they’ve been taste-tested & friends-and-family-approved a hundred times over – so there’s that. Absolutely worth a shot, believe me.
I’m going to go ahead and assume that I’ve already convinced you guys to try this recipe (presumptuous? probably. but don’t they look good?!). That said, here’s a quick tip: almond meal and/or almond flour can be found your local grocery store, most likely in the organic or natural foods section. I prefer Trader Joe’s brand almond meal or Bob’s Red Mill Finely Ground Almond Meal. If you don’t have anything on hand (we never did until we started making these pancakes every weekend), you can always make your own by tossing some whole almonds into a food processor until finely ground.
Then there’s the almond meal vs almond flour debate, in terms of how both affect the recipe. As I mentioned, almond meal is simply the result of grinding up almonds; the skin is still on when ground, so you’ll notice tiny flecks remain. Almond flour is made the same way, but with almonds that have been blanched/have their skin removed; it’s also ground slightly finer than almond meal. I find that almond meal produces a thinner, grainier pancake, whereas almond flour produces a thicker, fluffier pancake. It’s all a matter of preference, really; I like using the meal in my pancakes, whereas my mom tends to prefer the flour. But most important to note, I think, is that they are delicious either way.
There are a few important things I want to mention for your first go-around with this recipe. These are not your typical Sunday morning buttermilk pancakes, so don’t expect that same texture – or to be hungry an hour after eating them! The cooked quinoa and almond flour in these pancakes provide both protein and fiber, and will keep you feeling full much longer than the empty carbs and sugar from pancakes made with white flour.
Also, don’t be surprised when your pancakes kinda fall apart the first (or hundredth) time that you make them. I avoided showing you guys all the photos of the broken and/or donut-shaped pancakes that came from the past few batches I’ve made. If you don’t properly cook them through on each side (i.e., if you’re anything like me and lack patience), the batter doesn’t quite hold together when the pancakes are flipped.
However, the flavor is the most important part here – and it definitely still shines through even when you’re eating pancake mush, as we’ve aptly named it. It may not be pretty, but it’s always tasty!
- ½ cup cooked quinoa
- ½ cup almond meal or almond flour (see notes)
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup almond milk
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ tablespoon maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Blend all ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth. If mixture is too thick, add up to an additional ¼ cup of almond milk to thin. If it is too thin, add another teaspoon or two of almond meal to thicken. The consistency should be that of your standard pancake batter.
- Heat griddle on medium-low or as you would for regular pancakes. Spoon a tablespoon or so of batter onto the griddle and cook on each side until browned. Serve immediately with pure maple syrup or agave.
Optional add-ins: chocolate chips, blueberry flaxseed & walnuts, toasted almonds, fresh blueberries, etc. These pancakes are incredibly flavorful plain, but even moreso when you add in a delicious extra.
Recipe From: Jeannette's Healthy Living | Quinoa Almond Pancakes
You guys should probably take advantage of your Monday off and make yourself a delicious – and healthy – breakfast. and if you wanted to deliver some to me at work, I wouldn’t hate it…
Happy pancake-making, friends!
