Pancakes, flat jacks, hotcakes, griddlebacks, and panky doos

Pancakes, flat jacks, hotcakes…no matter what you call them they’re delicious.  If you disagree, message me and we can have a pank doo (pancake) debate.  If I do find a non-pancake lover, I’d have the right mind to slap them across the face with one (like on the movie Grown-ups).  For those of you that are in agreement with my love of pancakes, here’s a dip your toe in the raw water recipe of deliciousness.

I got this recipe from Brendan Brazier’s book Thrive.  It’s a great book for athletes and non-athletes alike.  Vegans, health-nuts, and just people trying to be healthier can get some great ideas from it.  While Brendan’s recipe calls for buckwheat flour, I use whatever is on hand.  I would suggest keeping to a gluten-free flour, in order to keep these light on the stomach and easy to digest.

If you’re a brave raw foodist you can, like me, first sprout the buckwheat, or other grain.  Then dehydrate until crunchy.  Next grind in your food processor to desired consistency.  Now you have raw, sprouted, living flour!  Because this is such a process that takes several days, I do a big batch at a time and store it in the freezer.  The steps are REALLY easy, it just takes a bit of planning.  Probably a total of ten minutes actual work time.  If you don’t have a dehydrator, the time, or simply the gumption, start out with buckwheat, quinoa, or even almond flour.

Now, on to the recipe:

Stuff you need:

1 cup buckwheat flour (or other gluten-free flour, preferably sprouted)

1/4 cup flaxseed, ground (I use sprouted flax seed)

1/4 cup hemp protein powder (I use Garden of Life’s raw protein powder or Vega Protein Powder which is mostly raw)

2 teaspoons baking powder (this is optional and make sure to use aluminum-free powder : ) )

1 teaspoon cinnamon and whatever other spices your tongue desireth

1 banana

2 cups water

1/4 cup raw oat flakes or some other flakes like barley flakes, or you could add sprouted buckwheat, walnuts or anything else for some crunch and texture interest

Other fruit, like berries.  Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, cherries, blackberries, or dingle-berries (I don’t know what those actually are).  If it’s berriesque it belongs in the pancakes!

Directions:

1. Stir together the flour, flaxseed, hemp protein, baking powder, and cinnamon until they seem like one.

2. In a food processor blend the banana a some of the water until smooth.

3. Add the banana mixture and rest of the water to the  flour concoction and stir until smooth

4. Mix in the berries and oat flakes, and whatever else you want.

5. Now here’s where there’s a fork in the road.  You can a) dehydrate the pancakes on low or b) heat them on VERY low over the stove in a pan.  Of course dehydration will take a…while.  If you prefer to heat over the stove, but still want most of your food living, just be sure to keep the heat very low.  The pancakes should get firm on each side after sitting about five minutes.  The center will be moist and undercooked, but delicious none-the-less.

Now every good pancake has to have a delicious topping.  You can do the ever so over done maple syrup or agave nectar, honey if you desire.  In my opinion though, this raspberry topping I made for Todd really completes it.

Stuff you need:

1 cup raspberries

1 tablespoon water

1 teaspoon stevia or maple syrup or agave nectar (may need more according to taste)

Directions:

Blend everything together in a coffee grinder or food processor.

Throw it on top of your pancakes.

Now, I’m no expert, but the sweetness and fun color of this topping seems like a great way to introduce kids to raw pancakes.

And there you have it: A gluten-free, vegan, dairy-free, nut free, low sugar, healthy carb, healthy fat, nutrient dense pancake of scrumptiousness.  They’re high-fiber, high vitamin c from the berries, provide plenty of essential fatty acids omega 3-6-9 from the flaxseed and hemp protein, high-enzyme, and just over-all good for you.  : )  Compare that to the average pancake which is made with white flour (no fiber), egg (no omega 3s unless you buy free range), milk (no enzymes,  no probiotics (important good bacteria stuff that your tummy and immune system like), not to mention the puss that’s included from over-milking the cow’s (yuuuum!)), and oil (unless it’s an extra virgin oil sourced from GOOD fats (like flaxseed, coconut oil, olive oil, walnut oil, etc) it offers virtually no benefit other than making your fat cells engorged (delightful).  I think we know who wins this one.  : )

Renee

Todd eats mostly raw and healthy stuff a lot for at least 30 days

I’m back!  Well, I was never away.  Of course the usual excuses follow: school, work, husband returning from Iraq, moving, etc.  Although I’ve been away I haven’t stopped living or loving life!  I was excited to get my report that I had over 1,500 views on my blog in December!  In January my husband, Todd, decided he wanted to do a detox/liver/colon cleanse with me.  He made the decision to eat as healthy as possible along with the cleanse.  Really???  Yes.  This came from an all-american he-man-woman-hating cheese-burger beer guzzling(sometimes) normal young army guy.  At this announcement I was both nervous and excited.  Pictures of food spewing out of his mouth, faces or comments about the food, or him losing so much weight he looked like he came from a concentration camp ran through my head.  At the same time of course I want the love of my life to experience his optimal healthy body.  After everything settled down in January we began our “Todd eats mostly raw and healthy stuff a lot for at least 30 days”.  Too long of a title?  The first few days were shaky.  I was working and Todd ran in and asked if a vanilla milkshake was raw.  He used his big blue puppy dog eyes and explained he was REALLY craving one.  But alas, as a health food enthusiast, I could not succumb to such trickery.  I did however make him a shake at home as soon as I got the chance.  Not your McDonalds hydrogenated-oil, high fructose corn syrup, fractioned milk goo, but delicious nonetheless.

I Need a Vanilla Milkshake! recipe:

1 frozen banana

1/2 scoop raw protein powder or Vega Shake and Go smoothie

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon raw agave nectar or honey or 1 teaspoon stevia powder

1 cup almond milk (creamier) or water

Ice as needed

Directions:

Throw everything in the blender as fast as possible.  Add ice as needed and according to textural desire(nice phrase!) Then quickly put it in a cup and savor to kick that milkshake craving in the a**!

We live a very busy lifestyle with friends, family, school, and work.  We run into a variety of scenarios, many of which involve food.  Wait, that’s every American.  Hmm.  So because we happen to be normal people we also happen to be imperfect.  Neither of us aspire to be perfect, we just try to do our best at that moment, on that day, in that year.  We don’t live by rules or dogmatic thinking, and we certainly don’t push our goals onto other people.  So, we do enjoy the occasional drink, steak (especially Todd), and sushi.  Because of Todd’s high protein needs we found it easiest for him to still incorporate meat into his diet.  There are many recipes however that require no cow’s that he likes quite a bit.

Todd’s Tacos.He calls them tacos…there not…there burritos more or less….and he scares people when he says “Oh you should come over and try our raw tacos!” Response”Whaaaat?  Raw taco meat???”  Pictures of Todd biting into bloody, ground up, hamburger meat are running through there head, I’m sure.  (Sorry to be so graphic?)  Anyways, heres the recipe:

Taco Meat:

1 cup raw soaked walnuts (no other nut will do…okay maybe…but it won’t be as good.)

1 carrot1 tablespoon organic chili powder (at least….it’s a “to taste” thing)

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 tablespoon water

Raw Cheese:

1 cup cashews soaked

1/4 cup nutritional yeast (not raw, but great source of B12 and that ever saught after cheesy flavor)

1 teaspoon sea salt2-4 tablespoons water

Raw Sour Cream:

1/4 cup cashews soaked

1 tablespoon vinegar (raw apple cider)

1-2 tablespoon water

Tomatillo Salsa:

4 Tomatillo (They are green “tomato like” vegetables covered in a light green leaf)

5 Tomatoes (which every variety you prefer)

1 onion

1 teaspoon sea salt

Fresh cilantro

Taco Meat Directions:

With the texture of taco meat in mind process all ingredients in food processor.  You don’t want it too crunchy or too mushy.  Carefully add the water, as you don’t want too much.  Taste as you go along to get the desired flavor.  Feel free to add a variety of spices.

Raw Cheddar Cheese Directions:

Blend everything together.  The amount of water will depend on the thickness or thinness of cheese desired.

Raw Sour Cream:Process everything.  It gives that bite.  It might not taste like sour cream by itself, but when combined with other flavors it provides that sour your looking for.  You might want to add more or less vinegar.

Tomatillo Salsa Directions:

Sometimes I chop it all up by hand, sometimes I use a food processor.  It depends on how lazy I am or am not feeling, or if I just want a variety of “chop” sizes.  I’ve been none to add red bell pepper to the mix as well.

Todd likes it this way:Take one Food for Life Ezekiel Tortilla (made with sprouted grains and cooked at a low temperature)Spread a good amount of cheese.  Follow with taco meat.  Add spinach or lettuce and salsa.  Top with sour cream.  Fold it up into a burrito, but refuse to call it a BURRITO and always persistently and determinately refer to it as a TACO.I enjoy it this way, or if I’m wanting something light (and grain-less) it’s delicious as a “taco salad”. Just sprinkle everything atop of bed of spinach or lettuce of choice.  Yum.

Raw Taco Salad

I have so many more recipes too share!  Let me know if you have any special requests or questions!  I might answer. ; ) Renee

GMOs

I was recently at a grocery store and was told by an acquaintance to buy the corn because it was on sale.  When I pointed out it wasn’t organic she made a face.  So then I mentioned if it’s not organic it’s GMO corn.  She made another face.  I said “genetically modified organisms” to clarify.  She made another face and declared “well I’ve been eating it my whole life and I’m fine!” and trotted away.   Had I the chance…and attitude…I would have said “no, no you haven’t had it your whole life.”  GMOs are as recent as the 80s and only began to widely be used in the mid 90s.

What are GMO’s?  GMO stands for genetically modified organisms(eeew sounds sciency).  Basically it’s science’s way of making what we already eat better.  Better for who?  Better in what way?  Well for one thing to keep more bugs away GMO crops are used by farmers.  The two most popular GMO crops are corn and soy.  So what’s wrong with that?  Well in several studies when these foods were fed to mice and cows the animals suffered disease.  Namely liver and kidney disease.  Infertility is another potential side effect.  Impotence another possible effect, that’s right guys, IMPOTENCE.  Even if studies had not been done, I prefer to be a guinea pig while the verdict is out.  There are plenty of hungry and eager Americans raising their hand to volunteer their health.  I know it’s not possible for many people to eat 100% organic 100% of the time…I haven’t reached that ability yet.  But the least we can do, once educated is avoid food that comes close to not being….well food.  If you read more about GMO’s you’ll learn they can get a gene from anywhere and insert it into anything.  Tomatoes with pig genes anyone???

I suggest you read up on it on your own, so you know your stance.  I heard the word GMO thrown around for a long time and didn’t really associate much with it.  Then I watched this:

It doesn’t have a lot of frills, very “textbooky” about the way it explains the history of GMOs.  After watching this even if I didn’t care about GMOs or my health, I wouldn’t want to support Monsanto.  A huge, dirty, and conniving company.

Let’s celebrate the fact that we still have access to organic non-gmo corn with a  recipe.  Of course you can enjoy corn fresh off the cob, which is what we did at my cousin’s organic farm.   As you can see I’m quite serious about the whole operation.  I smiled once I bit into it.  : ) Yuuum.

But if you prefer to be more creative with your corn here’s a lovely looking recipe I got from http://goneraw.com/recipe/sweet-and-spicy-corn-chips

Ingredients:

2c corn nibs (I thawed frozen corn, but you could just cut directly off the cob too)
1 small zucchini (~6″ – the zucchinis at loblaws are so tiny right now!)
1 jalapeno pepper (small, de-seeded)
2 cloves garlic, derooted
1/4tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (you can leave this out if you don’t want it to be too spicy.)
1/4c flax, ground

Preparation:

Throw everything but flax in a food processor, process until smooth-ish. Add flax and either mix in food processor or by hand if you’re feeling ambitious (I wasn’t).

Cover dehydrator trays with paraflex sheets and spread the corn chip batter evenly with a spoon. Dehydrate at 105 F for 1.5-2 hours, turn over onto mesh trays. Use a knife to score the shape of the chips and continue dehydrating overnight. Store in airtight containers.

NOTE: Makes two trays. I made my chips super thin, under a clearly misguided understanding of how thick corn chips are. And it barely made two trays in my dehydrator. So, you may want to increase the ingredients and make them a bit thicker, especially if you’re going to do a nacho plate thing and pile stuff on top of them. Mmmm nachos….

Well, I’m off to enjoy life.

Renee