Apple Pie Pancakes

Hooray!  It's Vegan MoFo (Vegan Month of Food) time.  Originally inspired by National Novel Writing Month, Vegan Mofo was created as a way for people who love to eat and love to write to put those passions together. Since its inception, it has also become an outlet to show the world the awesomeness of vegan food.  For me, it's a motivational exercise to keep up with my blog writing on a more frequent basis to further share my love and passion for healthier vegan fare. I hope to inspire you to eat a more whole food, plant based diet by showing you how delicious and simple it can be. 

This year, I've decided to focus on a theme of Healthy Vegan Brunch from A to Z (a little bit of breakfast too).  The recipes posted will be soy free, gluten free and free of refined sugars, as well as highlight seasonal fruits and veggies.  Since we are at that midway point between summer and fall, that means a variety of ingredients and flavors!  You'll even see a review fall in here and there when it fits into my alphabetical format.  Here's to 26 days of vegan brunch posts! 

To kick it off, I bring you two of my favorites combined - pancakes and apple pie!  Perfect for a lazy Labor Day morning. 

Cinnamon Spice Pancakes

Makes 4 to 5 pancakes about four inches in diameter.  

Ingredients 

1 Cup gluten free all purpose baking flour 

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon 

large pinch freshly grated nutmeg 

1/2 Cup non dairy milk 

1/4 Cup water 

1 Tablespoon maple syrup 

1 Tablespoon flavorless oil (organic Canola, grapeseed, sunflower) 

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 

coconut oil for cooking 

Directions

1. Oil a large skillet and preheat over medium-high heat for a minute. 

2. In a medium bowl, sift together dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine wet ingredients. Add wet ingredients to dry, mix until just combined. DO NOT OVER MIX or the pancakes will be tough; a couple lumps are okay. Ladle or pour about 1/3 cup of batter onto the heated skillet.

3. Cook pancakes until browned on the bottom and bubbles form on top, about 4 minutes. Turn the pancakes over and cook until the bottoms are browned and the pancakes are barely firm to touch. Repeat with remaining batter until all batter is used up, or store unused batter in refrigerator for up to three days. If using later, you may need to thin before cooking. 

*These pancakes are very dense. For more crepe like pancakes, add more milk, until desired consistency is reached. I recommend doing small test pancakes. 

Apple Pie Topping

Ingredients 

1 medium apple, cored and sliced thin (Fuji are my favorite) 

1/2 small lemon, juiced 

1 teaspoon cinnamon 

1/8 teaspoon ground ginger 

dash freshly grated nutmeg 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

2 Tablespoons coconut sugar (or maple) 

1/4 Cup of water - or more to prevent burning

Directions

1. Place apple slices in a medium bowl and coat with lemon juice to prevent oxidizing. Sprinkle with spices and sugar and stir to combine. 

2. Add apple mixture to a medium skillet with water and cook over medium heat. When it starts to bubble, reduce heat and simmer on low for about 10 minutes, stirring a few times to prevent sticking. The sugar will start to caramelize and the syrup will get thick. If it is drying up too quickly, add a small amount more water.  Once thickened and apples are softened, but still have some crunch to them, add walnuts and vanilla, stir to combine and remove from heat. 

3. Spoon some of the apple mixture on top of the pancakes to serve. 

About Me: 

As a certified Natural Chef from Bauman College, Christine Oppenheim works to break down common misconceptions that vegetables are bland or boring. She is dedicated to preparing fresh, organic foods to satisfy all palates as well as creating alternatives for common food allergies or intolerance.  Christine is also trained as a holistic wellness coach through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She offers plant-based personal chef services, cooking lessons and health coaching, helping busy professionals to put more healthy food on the table and make positive changes for themselves and their families.  For more information visit www.veggiefixation.com