RECIPE: Carla's Purely Pecan Pancakes

I have been on a no-grain diet for 3 months now. For an Italian, this is akin to enduring Chinese water torture. I won't go into the reasons why I'm on this diet since I want to get this post out tonight not next week. But I will say that this is one standout recipe where I'm not missing the white flour. In fact, I don't think I'll go back to flour pancakes again. (Did I just say that?)

Pancakes for me are an essential comfort food and the ultimate BDS — butter delivery system. (You already know how much I adore butter.) Indeed, on a Sunday morning with fresh squeezed orange juice, Blue Bottle coffee, nitrate-free bacon, New York Times and the requisite organic butter and real maple — pancakes kick some breakfast-time-ass.

I know you're thinking, how unhealthy, I can't believe you eat pancakes, Carla. Well, Virginia, I do. Understand how imperfect I am: I like cured pork, potato chips, Coca Cola, Velveta cheese dip, and men with soul patches. I like lots of things that don't have a perfect nutritional profile.

But here's the thing, now I can take one of my ill-advised indulgences and transform it into a superfood. OK, superfood may be an exaggeration, but these pancakes are definitely not devoid of nutrition like regular pancakes. They're protein-packed. I've removed the flour completely from the traditional recipe and replaced it with...you guessed it...pecans. Yes, my friends, ground pecans. Read it and weep. I'm assuming you're weeping because pecans weren't part of the group nut buy this year. (O where O where are those wonderful PECANS that we bought from you last year, Jim?)

So, immediately if not sooner, go to Trader Joes (or wherever) and get some pecans. Ok, once you've done that, do dis, then make dis:

Carla's Purely Pecan Pancakes

Put half a cup of Crispy Pecans* in a food processor. Pulverize until the natural oil in the nuts makes the pecan flour start to lump up. I guess you could call it a paste.

To that, add:

1 egg

1 tablespoon of yogurt*

1/4 teaspoon of baking soda

1/2 tablespoon honey

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon of vanilla extract

pinch of salt

and blend well.

Get the griddle or pan nice and hot. Pour the batter into a very well-oiled (a pool of oil, basically, if you're Teflon-phobic like me and have a pan with no coating) pan. Personally, I use coconut oil. It adds another level of flavor, is more nutritious and can sustain higher heat than most other oils.

Don't make the cakes too thick or too large. Hit the pan so the batter spreads. Otherwise the outside will burn before the inside is done.

Sometimes I add banana.

This recipe makes about (3) 4-inch pancakes. These cakes are rich so 3 per person is about right. Multiply the recipe above by the number of people.

*I'm not supposed to be eating unfermented dairy either (argh), but if you want, you can use heavy cream instead of yogurt.

**Read Enzyme Inhibitors and Nuts to understand why we "crisp" the pecans. I'm not sure how much the crispiness contributes to the success of the recipe so if you don't crisp the pecans YMMV (your mileage may vary).

Comments

[Amanda Louden]

I love pancakes--just like anything, they can be made well or poorly. If our pioneers and miners stumbled into an IHOP they would passout at the sight of what has become to a once hardy breakfast.

I like to add steel cut oats (soaked), coconut flour(fabulous), and cottage cheese.

Super yum. Love your idea with the pecans.

[Anna]

I've followed a similar low sugar and low starch diet for a pre-diabetes condition, instead of taking meds, since 2004. Recipe support is crucial for making the transition easier.

Your recipe for pecan pancakes looks great. I soak and dry nuts for my family, too. I'll give the pancakes a try. Love the BDS acronym, too. I consider butter from grass-fed cows a super health food, full of important fat-soluble vitamins.

I also like to make Bruce Fife's coconut flour pancakes, which also are gluten-free and low in starch and sugar. They are an excellent EDS (Egg Delivery System). You have to check out his Coconut Butter cookies, too, made with coconut flour. I make the lower sugar version; sort of macaroon-like, but without the cloying sweeteness, they're a huge hit with everyone (except those who don't like shredded coconut) and no one can believe they are an "alternative" recipe.

[Carla]

Hi Anna and Amanda,
Good to see you both commenting here on LF. When I was eating grains, I loved oatmeal in my pancakes - anything to reduce the quantity of vacuous flour.

I have used coconut flour as well as almond flour in pancakes. And I must say that the pecans have won out. They're not as dry and the texture is better to me. Although I didn't make my own almond flour out of crispy almonds either. Maybe I should try that.

Thanks for the suggestion on the Coconut Butter cookies a la Bruce Fife. Those sounds super yummy! I'm gonna look that up.

Cheers,
carla

[switters]

Carla,

Sounds like you're doing the GAPS or Specific Carbohydrate diet?

I've been on GAPS for six months myself. Can't stand coconut flour - feels like chalk in my mouth! I've stuck with pecan, almond and hazelnut flour.

Chris

[Carla]

Hi Chris, yep, you called it - GAPS. Wow 6 months - I have been on it 3.5 months. How is it going for you? I feel the same way about coconut flour as you do.

I just tried these and they are fantastic. I've been gluten/corn free for a little while and haven't had pancakes in probably a year. I'm going to have to get another huge bag of pecans (or try it with crispy almonds) and make these often. Thanks so much for the wonderful recipe!

I have to say I was a little nervous about these - kind of like when my vegetarian friends rave about the latest soy "sausage" they love - sure it tastes really good *if you've completely forgotten what REAL sausage tastes like!* Pancakes without grain raised my suspicions in the same way. But I'm always trying to find ideas for getting protein into my carbo-loving children, so I was up for the experiment. They were a success across the board, very rich and tasty. But you do have to set your expectations for something very different than the typical super-fluffy American pancake. These are thinner and denser but still delicious.

One helpful note: definitely cook over slightly lower heat than usual because I found it was easy for the batter to quickly carbonize and leave a really unpleasant burnt taste.

[Tamara]

This was my first go at soaking nuts. I did the pecans and although it takes forever, they turned out perfect! I made these pancakes this morning and since I've been grain free for almost a year---these were heavenly. Even my gluten-free kids like them. Full of flavor. Thanks for this post!