Buckwheat Buttermilk Pancakes

Buckwheat Buttermilk Pancakes
(Vegan, Gluten-Free, Soy-Free) – Makes 10 pancakes

184 calories for (2) pancakes or 277 calories for (3)

I have this pretty amazing pancake recipe that I routinely make. It is my ‘go to’ pancake recipe, everyone has one, right? Even if you’re opening a box of the “just add water” boxed mix. I got off those quick mixes years ago, once I realized how easy it was to make pancakes myself from scratch. The same goes for cookies and cakes from mixing bowl to oven; for me it takes no more than 10-15 minutes to mix a few ingredients together. The only exception is my carrot cake and that is because I shred/grate the carrots, before adding them to the batter. Well, also because there are few more ingredients added, lol. But you get the picture.
So, Pancakes…  I wanted to challenge myself. How can I make my ‘go to’ recipe better? They tasted great and were fluffy, everything you want in a pancake. I thought about a conversation I had with my mother last week, and she mentioned the idea of exploring a gluten-free diet. Bingo! I’ll make a gluten-free version. If you have or know someone with gluten sensitivity, celiac disease, or someone with an allergy to wheat gluten or any other reason you’d like to eliminate gluten from your diet… this recipe can easily become your ‘go to.’
Buckwheat despite having wheat in the name, it is not a grain. It is actually a fruit seed related to rhubarb. Buckwheat appears to be a grain, but it is considered a pseudocereal, like quinoa or amaranth. The seeds can be eaten as a cereal or ground up into flour. This recipe utilizes buckwheat flour.  Buckwheat is a rich source of fiber, protein, riboflavin, niacin and minerals like copper, magnesium and zinc, great for your immune system.
So, I make these delectable pancakes and to my surprise, I start to hear murmurs at the table while I’m in the kitchen. “I like these better” – I heard, first from one of the children and then my husband. Note to self: It is okay…the other ‘pretty amazing pancakes’ that I first mentioned are still amazing and now I have two pancake recipes in my back pocket. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 Cup Almond milk, unsweetened
1 Tbsp Apple cider vinegar
1 1/3 Cup Buckwheat Flour
1 Tbsp ground Flax Seeds
½ Tbsp Pure Vanilla extract
½ Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Baking powder
2 Tbsp Coconut Oil, plus additional for pan/cooking

Directions:
-Stir Apple cider vinegar into Almond milk to create a buttermilk. Let this stand while you blend your remaining ingredients.

-In a mixing bowl, whisk together Buckwheat flour, ground flax seeds, salt and baking powder so dry ingredients are incorporated.

-Cut in coconut oil to dry mixture, you can use your hands or mix in with the whisk.
(Chunks of coconut oil are okay because it will melt while cooking or when you use your hands to cut it into the flour mixture. Otherwise, if it is more liquidity, just mix in which is okay too.)
-Add buttermilk (almond milk/apple cider vinegar) mixture to dry ingredients plus vanilla extract and whisk together.

-Lightly oil frying pan or griddle with some additional coconut oil over medium heat.
-Using a ¼ Cup Measuring cup, scoop batter and pour into frying pan. (Depending on pan size I’ll make two or three at a time.)

-Like any other pancake once the top of the batter starts to bubble in the pan you should be ready to flip. Cook until browned.

-Serve with your favorite topping – fresh fruit, maple syrup or plain. Enjoy!

Pancake tip: Between each batch, for instance, if I make two or three pancakes before going right into the next set of pancakes: I take frying pan and run it under cool water, then return it to the stove before adding the additional coconut oil or Earth balance (vegan butter) and putting in my next batch/batter. I’d say for the past 10 years or so I’ve always done this while making pancakes. I do this to keep the heat of the pan consistent. It always bothered me how the first two or three would look great vs. the last two or three that would be burnt looking or darker.