Gluten-Free Vegan Blueberry Pancakes

Sunday morning is always a great time to linger over the breakfast table, savouring a stack of pancakes. Filled with pump fresh blueberries, and drizzled with a generous helping of Canadian maple syrup, these delicious pancakes are gluten-free,dairy-free, and egg-free-- a perfect meal for people with food sensitivities, or for those who have chosen to enjoy a vegan lifestyle. Gluten-free cooking is considered 'tricky' by some, but this recipe and a few simple cooking tips make these pancakes a pleasure to prepare and to eat. My breakfast companion's only comment was "Mmmm..." He was too busy eating to say anything else!

 You'll need: 1 cup almond milk; 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted; 1 tablespoon ground flax seed; 2 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder; 2 tablespoons agave syrup; 3/4 teaspoon Xanthan Gum; 1/4 teaspoon sea salt (optional); 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg or allspice; 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries; 2 cups all purpose gluten-free flour (I use a mixture of almond meal, brown rice, sorghum, tapioca and potato flours. Bob’s Red Mill All-Purpose Gluten Free Mix is a popular ready-mixed product but contains bean flours which some people find difficult to digest.) For Frying: about 2 tablespoons of coconut oil. To Garnish: Maple syrup; blueberries.

 

Method: Combine flours to make 2 cups, sift and mix together in a large bowl with 1 tablespoon ground flax seed, 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1 teaspoon nutmeg or allspice, 3/4 teaspoon Xanthan Gum, and 1/4 teaspoon sea salt.

Rinse 1 cup of fresh blueberries and pat dry. Set 1 -2 tablespoons aside for garnish. Add berries to flour mix and gently fold in to cover with flour. If using frozen berries, add them directly from freezer without thawing. 

Gently warm 1 cup of almond milk with 2 tablespoons of coconut oil, and 2 tablespoons agave syrup. Heat only until oil melts.

 
Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in almond milk-oil mixture. Stir lightly until liquid is incorporated into a thick batter. Add a little more almond milk if necessary. The mixture will be very thick and will not pour like regular pancake batter.

Put about 1 tablespoon of coconut oil in a saucer for smoothing batter with spatula while cooking pancakes. Place a small amount of coconut oil (about 1/2 teaspoon) in a frying pan over low heat. Scoop out a portion of batter to make the size of pancake you want.

Dip a spatula in coconut oil. Flatten and round-out the batter to desired the size and thickness. Using the underside of the spatula, spread the top of the pancake with a little coconut oil.  

As the pancake is cooking, gently loosen each side a few times to prevent sticking. Make certain none of the pancake adheres to the pan before flipping. (This step is key to successfully cooking gluten-free pancakes)

Turn the pancake over and cook on the second side. The coconut oil on the surface will facilitate even frying. Gluten-free flours take a little longer to cook, and patience is well-rewarded during this process.

Place pancakes in a warm oven until the whole batch is ready to eat.

To Serve: At the table, invite guests to stack pancakes on their plate, drizzling  maple syrup between each layer. Place a handful of fresh berries on the top and finish with a generous pour of syrup. Enjoy!

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