Cinnamon Buckwheat Pancakes

When I first went gluten free I never thought I would never have good pancakes again! I tried all of the mixes and a few rounds of making my own batter but was never satisfied.

After many trial and error recipes I finally nailed it using buckwheat (or oat groats)! I have been doing pancakes on Saturdays as a special treat and then I realized I was feeling really great after.

So what is buckwheat?

It’s actually derived from the seed of a flowering plant. Not a grain or cereal and it is in fact gluten free! Just disregard the very confusing name. 

Health Benefits:

• Fiber, Magnesium, copper, calcium, potassium, and small amounts of B vitamins.
• Diets that contain buckwheat have been linked to lowered risk of developing high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
• Buckwheat's beneficial effects are due in part to its rich supply of flavonoids, particularly rutin. Flavonoids are phytonutrients that protect against disease by extending the action of vitamin C and acting as antioxidants.
• Helps maintain blood flow, keeps platelets from clotting excessively which helps to protect against heart disease.
• The nutrients in buckwheat may contribute to blood sugar control.
• Canadian researchers, publishing their findings in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry have found new evidence that buckwheat may be helpful in the management of diabetes.
• May prevent inflammation in the body.

So how do we consume these health boosting granules of delicious? PANCAKES!

Ingredients

• 2 cups of buckwheat flour - I made my own buckwheat flour (blog coming) but you can get it in the store as well.
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 2- 2 ½ cups water

Directions

• Sift all dry ingredients together. (If you don’t have a sifter just mix well)
• Slowly add water and slowly mix well. You don’t want it to be too watery or too thick.
• On low to medium heat warm up coconut oil and pour batter into the pan. Drop in chocolate chips or any other additions you might want. Wait for it to brown on one side and slightly bubble on top.
• Flip over until golden brown.

Drizzle with maple syrup and enjoy!

Now your favorite guilty pleasure breakfast can be your favorite Make Yourself a Priority breakfast.

** I recommend eating these with raw sauerkraut (trust me the sweet and sour thing totally works) or a handful of greens to help with digestion. 

Black Forrest Smoothie

I was at the farmers market the other day and saw some really beautiful organic black cherries. I made this really simple yet delicious smoothie with just a few ingredients and packed full of nutrients!

You may have seen this one on my twitter or instagram where I post new ideas almost daily! 

Black Forrest Smoothie

For the picture it is in a 5oz glass. The recipe will make 2-3 servings. 

• 1 ripe banana
• 8-10 pitted black cherries
• 1 generous spoonful of raw cacao
• 1-2 cups of ice
• 1/8 or more coconut water (filtered water, nut milk, or seed milk will work as well)

Add all of the ingredients into a high powered blender and process until a smooth consistency has been reached. 

Black cherries - may contain 15 or more antioxidants. Relieves inflammation from arthritis. Can reduce muscle damage after exercise. Has helped with insomnia. Has been used to treat colds, digestive problems, and pain. 

Bananas - Contain potassium (great for preventing muscle cramping). Naturally fat and cholesterol free. Vitamins A, C, B-6, E. Manganese for bone health and metabolism. Fiber. And more!

Raw Cacao - Iron. Calcium. Zinc. Potassium. Antioxidants. Promotes the release of neurotransmitters, which promote a positive outlook and bodily rejuvenation, and release feel-good hormones. Raises levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter, and acts as an anti-depressant that can help reduce symptoms of PMS. Can help improve circulation, regular heartbeat and blood pressure.

This smoothie truly feels decadent but is a quick and easy way to make yourself a priority. 

Beating the Cold Season and Carrot Ginger Breakfast Cookies

Everyone is sick. It’s all over the news, facebook, and getting in the way of our daily routines. There are some really easy ways to prevent it and kick it quickly before it puts you out.

1. Ginger – on top of being great for treating colds and flu it may reduce chances of some cancers, eases the stomach, boosts the immune system, reduces inflammation, helps with motion and morning sickness on top of some other great benefits. Make yourself a shot of lemon, ginger and cayenne pepper once or twice a day until your sickness is gone. I juiced the ginger by hand - if that’s not dedication I don’t know what is! (But you can always use your juicer or go to a juice bar)
2. Neti Pot – follow directions on the box. Do NOT use tap water. These are great for clearing out a stuffy nose without using harmful medications.
3. Warm Water with lemon.
4. No sugar! It greatly weakens the immune system when you need it to be strong. This includes orange juice: due to a similar chemical structure, the sugar in OJ actually competes with Vitamin C to enter cells. Therefore, the more sugar you ingest, the less Vitamin C is absorbed!  To get Vitamin C eat leafy greens especially kale it contains more Vitamin C than oranges anyway.
5. NO Dairy. In the course I took with T. Colin Campbell he talked about when you consume dairy it creates a net metabolic acidity in the body. In order to neutralize that acidity, your body draws salts such as calcium and phosphorus from your bones so it can return to its naturally alkaline state. The result is weakened bones and teeth – this also weakens your immune system. Dairy promotes the production of mucus and can make existing mucus thicker in your nose and sinuses, leaving you completely congested. It may also cause a runny nose or the ever annoying post nasal drip.

I do all of these things on a regular biases in addition to a well balanced plant based diet and I haven’t been sick in years. Making yourself a priority will help you dodge cold season all together. 

And for a fun way to get more ginger in your diet (although juicing it is preferable)... 

I tried out this fantastic breakfast cookie recipe the other day and fell in love with them. Once I realized they are basically a bowl of oatmeal in cookie form I felt even better about them. Then ate too many, then went hard on myself at the gym…

Anyway, they are a great winter breakfast addition, after your water with lemon of course! I made these then immediately regretted not using my new mini muffin tin. So I did what anyone else would do, made another batch.

1 cup gluten free flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon fine grain salt

1 cup rolled oats

2/3 cup chopped walnuts (omit to make it nut free – try adding sunflower seeds)

1 cup shredded carrots

½ cup maple syrup (at room temperature)

½ cup unrefined coconut oil warmed

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

1 egg replacer (1 tbsp ground flax seed mixed with 3 tbsp of water and refrigerated for 15 minutes)

1. Preheat oven to 375F degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and oats. Then add the nuts and carrots. In a separate smaller bowl, use a whisk to combine the maple syrup, coconut oil, ginger and egg replacer.
3. Combine the two mixtures until well incorporated.
4. Drop onto prepared baking sheets, one level tablespoon at a time, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie. Bake in the top 1/3 of the oven for 10-12 minutes or until the cookies are golden on top and bottom.
5. Or use mini cupcake tins for mini muffins.