Lemon Blueberry Cornmeal Pancakes - Gluten Free

Lemon Blueberry Cornmeal Pancakes

With the abundance of organic local blueberries, I have been trying every variation of blueberry pancakes I can think of.  I have quite a cookbook collection and went through them in search of something special.  I found quite a few variations on a theme combining lemon, blueberries and cornmeal.  After several attempts with varying methods and proportions, this recipe emerged as the clear winner.  You can use regular flour, but, the gluten free version is superior.  Yes, you read correctly, the gluten free version is better than the wheat flour version.  Here's the  exact recipe I used.  Try it and let me know how it turns out for you.

Lemon Blueberry Cornmeal Pancakes – gluten free

Serves 2 - 3

Juice from 1 whole lemon (about 2 Tablespoons)

7 ounces milk (approximately)

3/4 cup Namaste gluten free Perfect Flour Blend

1/3 cup yellow cornmeal

2 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch salt

2 Tablespoons butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla

Zest from 1 whole lemon (about 1 Tablespoon)
1 egg, separated

Blueberries, fresh or frozen

• Squeeze lemon juice into a measuring cup.  Add milk to make 1 cup.  Set aside for 10 minutes. (Yes, the milk will curdle and get very thick.)
• In a medium bowl, sift together dry ingredients.
• In a medium bowl, combine lemon juice milk mixture, melted butter, vanilla, egg yolk, and lemon zest.
• Add wet to dry ingredients, stir just to bring mixture together.
• In a separate bowl, beat egg white until shiny and firm, but not dry.
• Gently fold egg white into batter.
• Scoop batter onto preheated, greased griddle and immediately sprinkle with desired amount of blueberries.
• When bubbles start to appear and pancakes are golden, flip and cook other side.
• Serve with butter and maple syrup.

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Blueberry Johnnycakes

Blueberry Johnnycakes

With the abundance of beautiful blueberries this year, I have been revisiting old favorite recipes.  This recipe was one of the first that I shared with guests almost 11 years ago, blueberry johnnycakes.  What are johnnycakes, you might ask?  It is one of the many names given to cornmeal pancakes.  According to what I've read, the early American settlers learned from the Native American Indians how to make flat bread from cornmeal.  It is suggested that cornmeal pancakes traveled well and were called journeycakes, which came to be known as johnnycakes.

Now that you know the history of the word, let me tell you what makes this recipe special.  The combination of whole wheat with the cornmeal gives a wonderful texture and the use of molasses gives a distinctive taste.  I hope you'll enjoy this recipe as much as our guests do.

Blueberry Johnnycakes

1/3 cup all purpose flour

1/3 cup whole wheat flour

1/3 cup yellow cornmeal

2 Tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Pinch salt

1 cup buttermilk

2 Tablespoons molasses

1 egg

2 Tablespoons melted butter

1 pint fresh or frozen blueberries 

1. Whisk dry ingredients together in a medium bowl.
2. Whisk wet ingredients together in a medium bowl.
3. Mix wet with dry just until combined.
4. Spread about ¼ cup batter per pancake on hot, greased griddle.  Immediately, place 6 – 7 blueberries onto batter.
5. Cook until golden, turn and cook other side until done.
6. Enjoy with a little butter and maple syrup.

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Pina Colada Muffins

Pina Colada Muffin

I was looking for a new muffin recipe and came across a recipe for Pina Colada Muffins on the Welcome Home blog.  Marty has been sharing her mother's recipes along with some beautiful inspirational messages.  I did make just a couple of changes to her recipe.  I substituted coconut oil for the butter, I used drained crushed pineapple in place of the chunked pineapple and I omitted the coconut extract.  Because I used the crushed pineapple, I mixed the pineapple into the wet ingredients before mixing all ingredients together.  The result was a delicious, moist, beautiful muffin.  Hope you like it.  Please visit Marty on facebook and let her know I sent you!  And, thanks, Marty, for a great recipe.

PINA COLADA MUFFINS
Yield:  12 muffins

3/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 heaping cup sugar
1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes
2 eggs, room temperature
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon coconut extract
1 cup canned pineapple chunks, drained

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and put muffins liners in muffin tin. Take out buttermilk and eggs, so they can come to room temperature. In a large bowl, mix together flours, salt, baking powder, sugar, and coconut flakes. Set aside.

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, butter, vanilla, and coconut extract. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Don’t over mix or your muffins will be dry. Chop pineapple chunks to make mini chunks and then gently fold into muffin batter. Again, folding just enough to distribute pineapple bits. Sprinkle top with a little coconut that will toast during baking time.

Bake for about 25 minutes or until the tops of the muffins feel set when gently pressed. Cool a few minutes in the tin and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. 

http://www.welcome-home-blog.net/2013/06/pina-colada-muffins.html

Pina Colada Muffins

Cold Blueberry Soup on a hot Summer's Day

Cold Blueberry Soup

It's blueberry time here in South Georgia.  I've been stocking up on fresh, organic, local blueberries and the freezer is just about full.  There are so many things you can make with blueberries, besides the obvious blueberry muffins, cobbler, pie or jam.  How about some refreshing cold blueberry soup?

I looked through my cookbooks and online and found many variations of blueberry soup.  I took the basic idea and came up with my own recipe using evaporated skim milk.  Evaporated skim gives it body and texture without the fat of regular milk or cream.  Of course, feel free to garnish the soup with a little whipped cream, sour cream or yogurt to give it a creamier texture.  I created the pretty pattern by swirling some whipped cream (I used a ziploc bag with the corner cut off) and then using a knife to cut in the design.

Cold Blueberry Soup

Yield:  4 large servings or 6 small servings

3 cups fresh blueberries

3/4 cup orange juice

6 Tablespoons sugar (or sugar substitute)

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

pinch salt

2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice - divided

12 oz can of evaporated skim milk, chilled

Garnish – whipped cream, sour cream or yogurt and fresh blueberries

1. Combine blueberries, orange juice, sugar, cinnamon, salt and 1 Tablespoon of fresh lemon juice in a saucepan.
2. Stirring frequently, heat on medium-high heat.  Bring to a boil.
3. Remove from heat, and let cool for about 10 minutes.
4. Add 1 Tablespoon of fresh lemon juice.
5. Using an immersion blender (or regular blender or food processor), process blueberry mixture and lemon juice until smooth.
6. Cover and chill until ready to serve.  (I chilled it overnight)
7. Stir in chilled evaporated skim milk just prior to serving.
8. Serve in stemmed glasses. Garnish, if desired.

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Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

Sometimes, you just want a chocolate chip cookie.  You want it now and you want it to be homemade.  I've been holding onto this recipe for several years (I have no idea where it came from) and I decided to try it.  Kim said they were really good, although, not as good as the ones with butter and eggs.  But, for a vegan recipe, he said it was a winner.  Hope you like it!

Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

Makes 8 - 12 cookies depending on size

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup real maple syrup

1/4 teaspoon  molasses

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1/4 cup canola oil

1/3 cup chocolate chips

 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a bowl, sift the flours, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt, and stir until well combined. 
3. In a separate bowl, combine the maple syrup, molasses and vanilla, then stir in the oil until well combined. 
4. Add the wet mixture to the dry, along with the chocolate chips, and stir through until just well combined (do not overmix).
5. Place large spoonfuls of the batter on the cookie sheet and flatten a little.
6. Bake for 11 minutes, until just golden (if you bake for much longer, they will dry out). 
7. Let cool on the sheet for no more than 1 minute (again, to prevent drying), then transfer to a cooling rack.
8. Let them cool a little before eating.
9. Enjoy!

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Whole Wheat and Grits Pancakes

Whole Wheat and Grits Pancakes

Some people love grits and some people hate grits.  But, everyone loves pancakes.  When you combine whole wheat flour and grits, you get a great crunchy texture and a wonderful nutty flavor.  This recipe is really easy and delicious.  Let me know how yours turn out.

Love,

Susan

 

 

Whole Wheat and Grits Pancakes

Yield:  12 – 15 pancakes

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup quick grits

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons sugar

1 cup boiling water

1 large egg, beaten

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 tablespoons melted butter
 

1. In a small bowl, combine whole wheat flour, baking powder and baking soda.
2. In a large bowl, combine grits, salt, sugar and boiling water.  Stir. Let sit for 10 minutes, covered.
3. In a medium bowl, combine egg, buttermilk and melted butter.
4. Combine egg mixture with grits.
5. Stir dry ingredients into wet.
6. Spoon about ¼ cup batter onto hot, lightly greased griddle.  Cook until edges are dry and bottom is golden brown.
7. Flip and cook other side until golden brown.
8. Serve with butter and warm maple syrup
9. Enjoy!

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Ricotta Pancakes with lemon ricotta topping and orange syrup

Ricotta Pancakes with lemon ricotta topping and orange syrup

I found this incredible recipe on foodandwine that I just had to share. It is for ricotta pancakes with orange syrup. These are absolutely fabulous. There are a few minor changes - vanilla extract instead of vanilla bean and I added whole wheat. Please let me know what you think of them.

Ricotta Pancakes with Lemon Ricotta Topping and Orange Syrup
Yield: 15 – 18 pancakes

ORANGE SYRUP
1 orange
1 cup orange juice
1 cup sugar
1 cup water

RICOTTA TOPPING
1 1/2 cups ricotta
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

PANCAKES
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups buttermilk
2 large eggs, separated
1/2 cup ricotta
Toasted almond slices, for garnish

1. Peel the zest from the orange in long strips. In a saucepan of boiling water, blanch the zest for 30 seconds. Drain and repeat. Julienne the zest. In the saucepan, simmer the orange juice, sugar, water and blanched zest until syrupy, about 10 minutes. Let cool.
2. In a bowl, mix together all of the topping ingredients. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt, baking powder and soda. In another large bowl, whisk the buttermilk, egg yolks and ricotta. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. In a large, clean stainless steel bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry; fold them into the batter.
4. Spoon about ¼ cup batter onto hot greased griddle and cook over moderately high heat, 2 minutes per side, until golden and fluffy.
5. Serve about 3 pancakes per person topped with the orange syrup, ricotta topping and toasted almonds.
Adapted from Breslins Ricotta Pancakes with Orange Syrup at:  FoodandWine.com

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Love,

Susan