Nothing says love and comfort like homemade pancakes on a Sunday morning. And nothing screams even more love and comfort when it’s Dad making the pancakes while mommy sleeps in (hope one particular Daddy is reading this wink wink).
My favorite pancake recipe calls for nutritious spelt flour while my hubby’s involves a box of Bisquick. Despite the incongruence, it’s the cardamom that makes these pancakes luxurious and delicious. You can go the spelt or Bisquick route or add ground cardamom to your favorite pancake recipe. Either way, Sunday mornings are about to get a lot more delicious.
RECIPE
Adapted from http://www.foodprepper.com/spelt-pancakes-from-youtube-video.php
CARDAMOM SPELT PANCAKES WITH MANGO
12 months+, Toddler, Kid, Adult
Nutrition
Spelt aka ‘The Grandfather of Wheat’, is an ancient grain and wheat’s distant cousin. The healthier distant cousin that is! Spelt has more nutrients per calorie than wheat and because it still has gluten, albeit a more easily digestible form, it can be swapped into any recipe calling for wheat without really compromising texture. Spelt is rich in niacin or vitamin B3 which is important for energy metabolism among other functions. It is a good source of minerals like copper, iron, zinc, magnesium and phosphorus as well as the trace mineral manganese which helps regulate blood sugar, thyroid function and bones. Spelt has loads of soluble fiber and is easier to digest than wheat. The complex carbohydrates in spelt are of the good kind — known as mucopolysaccharides, they can boost immune function! Spelt has a nuttier flavor than wheat so I actually like it more taste wise. For some it may be a more acquired taste although most kids I’ve offered these pancakes to don’t seem to notice the difference. The bit of white flour makes for a fluffier and lighter texture than 100% spelt so I cheat a little without missing out on the nutrients.
Yield
Makes about 5 5inch diameter pancakes
Ingredients
1 cup spelt and 1/3 cup all purpose white flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon sugar
Pinch salt
2-3 cardamom cloves with skin discarded and seeds freshly ground
1 cup whole or skim milk depending on the richness desired
1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
2 large eggs
Method
Whisk together the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Add the dry to the wet ingredients and mix until they just come together. Do not over-mix which can cause the gluten to toughen and the pancakes to get rubbery.
Heat a non-stick pan or skillet over medium high heat. Add a dollop of butter or a teaspoon of canola oil. Scoop the batter onto the pan with a 1/4 measuring cup. Cook the pancakes for about 1 minute 15 seconds on each side or until you get a nice golden brown color.
Serving Suggestions
Serve with chopped mango or maple syrup. You can use other fruits like berries, chopped banana or apricots. Pureeing the berries with a little water makes for a nice syrup substitute. I find the mango provides enough moisture so as to be able to get away with less syrup if that’s something you’d like to moderate with your kids. That said, Sundays are for splurging so go ahead and do mango AND some maple for absolute comfort food goodness.
HEALTH BENEFITS OF SPELT
Vitamin B3
Minerals
Soluble fiber
Complete protein
RECIPE
Cardamom
Spelt
Pancakes
12 months+,
Toddler, Kid,
Adult
I put the maple syrup over the pancake while I am cookingit…in my experience the syrup distributes well and you need less as compared to pouring it when the pancakes are on the plate!
Shilpa, thanks so much that is a great suggestion. I imagine there is also some caramelization of the sugars that must occur which I’m sure is lovely. Will definitely give it a try this weekend!
Sounds yummy! Will definitely try this next Sunday . Thanks for sharing 🙂
My son loved these–and so did we. I’m going to take the suggestion to cook with some maple syrup next time (this weekend)!