Spring into Green! Pancakes

These pancakes add leafy green goodness and other veg that you won’t even notice!

Course Breakfast

Keyword pancakes, spinach

Servings -10 small-medium pancakes

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups packed baby spinach leaves
1/2 cup roughly sliced/chopped zucchini or yellow carrot see note
1 cup plain or vanilla nondairy milk plus 1-2 tbsp more as needed
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 tsp almond extract or 1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup whole-grain spelt flour see note
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch of sea salt optional

Instructions

Heat a nonstick skillet (see note) over medium-high heat for a few minutes, then reduce the heat to medium. While the pan is heating, in a blender, add the spinach, zucchini or carrot, milk, lemon juice, and almond/vanilla extract. Blend until smooth. In a large bowl, mix the flour and baking powder, and salt if using. Add the blended mixture to the dry mixture and whisk to combine. Using a ladle, scoop 1/4–1/3 cup of the batter into the hot pan, fitting as many as you can without allowing the pancakes to touch. Cook for several minutes, until small bubbles form on the outer edge and in the center and the pancakes starts to look dry on the top. Flip the pancakes and lightly cook the other side for about a minute, then transfer to a plate. Repeat until all the batter is used.

Notes

Veggie Note: Opt for yellow carrot for best color instead of orange carrot. You can also substitute sliced ripe banana for the zucchini or carrot, though bananas do make a slightly sticky batter. I prefer to add sliced banana to the pancakes instead.

Flour Note: For a gluten-free version, an all-purpose GF flour blend can be substituted in full for the spelt flour.

Ideas: For extra flavor, try adding 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg, or 1/2–1 teaspoon grated orange or lemon zest. You can also add other pure extracts like almond or orange extract.

Nonstick Skillet Note: For pancakes, it’s important to use a good-quality nonstick
skillet. If yours has a worn surface or isn’t nonstick, the pancakes will
stick. I find a crepe pan is easiest for flipping.