Pumpkin Pancakes
There is something about small, chubby, baby hands picking up a pancake that warms my heart.
It must be something to do with the fact that I grew up in a pikelet-eating family. My mother would often make them for an after school snack (lucky us, I know!). I have clear and fond memories of little, fluffy rounds, stacked up and spread with jam on the counter. They were wholesome rocket fuel for my brothers and I, sending us off to the park to swing and jump, to ride around court on our bikes or, when I wanted alone time, to sit under the fairy tree at the front of our property with books. The other week, as I watched Joan reach for a perfectly baby-sized pancake and put it to her mouth before kicking her legs with glee, I just about fainted from the sweetness, from the full-circle beauty of it all... from the reality that I am now the mumma, making those little, fluffy rounds, fuelling my babe up to explore the world.
Joan adores these pancakes. Rarely does my baby girl laugh and chat at the table until she has had a decent portion of her food (she takes eating very seriously), however whenever I serve these pancakes they elicit instant giggles. Sometimes I spread them with almond butter, avocado or yoghurt and she seems to like them each way, though perhaps almond butter is her favourite. Perhaps I am just wanting an excuse to buy or make more almond butter... This recipe makes 8 small pancakes, which Joan will eat over a couple of days. They're lovely cold from the fridge and make excellent cafe food (i.e. bringing a snack from home) as they don't leave you with a lot of tricky or sticky mess to clean up.
Pumpkin Pancakes
Makes 8 mini pancakes
Note: I made these pancakes multiple times before posting, as I found the water content of your pumpkin can greatly alter the results. Best to try them one time and get the hang of the texture. You want a thick but not too thick batter.
Ingredients
1/4 cup rolled oats
60-70g steamed pumpkin (heaping 1/4 cup loosely mashed)
1 egg Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
optional: ground cinnamon or ginger, freshly grated ginger, nut butter
Method
1. If you haven't already steamed the pumpkin, do that and allow it to cool (I steam a bunch and use some in pancakes, some as snacks for Joan, some for me as snacks or in salads...)
2. In a mini food processor, blitz the oats until a fine(ish) flour. Add the pumpkin and blitz to combine. Whisk the egg into the mixture and any additional flavourings.
3. Heat some EVOO in a skillet over low-medium heat. When hot, drop heaped tablespoons on the mixture into the pan, creating little pancake rounds. I fit four at a time in my pan, so do two batches. Cook the pancakes until they look like they're firming up and are ready to flip (~2 minutes), then flip them and cook on the other side for a minute or so until cooked through. Allow them to cool then serve plain or with a spread of almond butteror avocado. Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and eat within a day or so.
Heidi xo