These pancakes are free of animal products! So I guess that makes them cruelty-free, too. They are also cholesterol-free, and, if you leave out the oil and add more almond milk, fat-free. Leave out the white sugar and they're sugar-free. Besides all that, the batter is an excellent consistency for adding patriotic-themed fruit. Here's a tip, BTW: Pour your pancake batter into the hot pan, spread it around a little with the spoon you used to put it in there, and then put your fruit pieces in one at a time until you've got a nice pizza-pie effect going on. Let the pancake cook like normal, then flip it. Shazaam, each pancake has the perfect amount of fruit and is also cooked to perfection on both sides. Grandmom taught me that trick.
Independence Pancakes
1 C. applesauce
1/4 C. oil + extra for frying the pancakes
1 C. whole wheat flour
1 C. white all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
2 TB. white sugar (optional)
1/3-1/2 C. almond milk as needed for consistency (it should be a thick but pourable batter)
Whisk together your dry ingredients. Add in your wet ingredients one at a time, putting in the almond milk last. Let rest a couple of minutes. (The batter actually will stay good in the refrigerator with a piece of plastic wrap covering the surface for over a week, so you can do that too if you don't want to make all 12 or so pancakes at once.) In the meantime, heat about 2 tsp. of oil in a fry pan over medium heat until a drop of water tossed in sizzles and pops. Drop in about 1/4 C. batter per pancake, spacing them out adequately so you have room to turn them. Put in the fruit (or other additions) now if you want to have them in your pancakes. Let the pancakes cook until they have dry bubbles around the edges and wet bubbles popping up in the center. Then flip them, and let them cook until the pancakes rise and are firm and not squishy when you stroke them with the spatula. (That's the best way I can describe it.) If you're uncertain and you don't care how your pancakes look, use the sharp edge of the spatula to make a small cut in the center of your pancakes-- when they're done the middle will look cakey and shouldn't be gooey or wet-looking at all. You know your stove temperature is right when your pancakes are a nice golden brown on both sides and they're done in the middle. If your stove is too hot, they'll be burned on the outside and gooey inside. Too cold and they'll be lightly tanned on the outside and tough on the inside. Anyway, once your pancakes are definitively done, remove them to a serving plate and eat them as soon as possible, with whatever toppings you prefer. I like the traditional maple syrup and butter combo, but pancakes are almost always tasty with applesauce on top, and sometimes sour cream. And who knows what else.
________
The other day, I went to visit my cousin who's about to enter seminary. We had a great visit, we talked about all kinds of things, and I learned something about my family: we are all rebels.
Only in my family would becoming a minister be a rebellious act, but it was. If my cousin had, for example, decided to go to a state college in pursuit of a bachelor's degree, he would be unexceptional for us. If he discovered while there that he was incredibly talented at, say, engineering, everyone would be applauding him right now. But instead, he decided to become a priest. A priest! A Catholic priest! If he had announced that he wanted to grow antlers and run away to the forest he would have been met with less resistance.
But he didn't want to grow antlers, he wanted to be a Catholic priest. And so he faced the flack, the flat-out, no-holds-barred, intrafamily gossiping, the subtle hints that his sexual libido would eventually grow into a One-Eyed, One-Horned, Giant Purple People Eater with dire consequences if he continued on his chosen path.
And that's what I mean when I say, "We are all rebels." My mom loves business. What did I do? I got a fine arts degree. Her mom was a housewife, member of the garden club, and proud supporter of the DAR. What did my mom do? Become the manager two steps down from the CEO of any company she works at. It's like some sort of Call of the Wild. Tell one of us what we should do and...hey, what are you doing? What? WHAT?! Yes, that person is now doing the exact opposite.
So, in the spirit of the upcoming Independence Day holiday, I have to mention that this uncontrollable personality trait may have been shared by the gentlemen who felt it would be appropriate to throw a whole boatload of very expensive tea in the ocean and set the boat on fire. Let freedom ring! And I love you, James! I'm so glad that you're my cousin.
Independence Pancakes
1 C. applesauce
1/4 C. oil + extra for frying the pancakes
1 C. whole wheat flour
1 C. white all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
2 TB. white sugar (optional)
1/3-1/2 C. almond milk as needed for consistency (it should be a thick but pourable batter)
Whisk together your dry ingredients. Add in your wet ingredients one at a time, putting in the almond milk last. Let rest a couple of minutes. (The batter actually will stay good in the refrigerator with a piece of plastic wrap covering the surface for over a week, so you can do that too if you don't want to make all 12 or so pancakes at once.) In the meantime, heat about 2 tsp. of oil in a fry pan over medium heat until a drop of water tossed in sizzles and pops. Drop in about 1/4 C. batter per pancake, spacing them out adequately so you have room to turn them. Put in the fruit (or other additions) now if you want to have them in your pancakes. Let the pancakes cook until they have dry bubbles around the edges and wet bubbles popping up in the center. Then flip them, and let them cook until the pancakes rise and are firm and not squishy when you stroke them with the spatula. (That's the best way I can describe it.) If you're uncertain and you don't care how your pancakes look, use the sharp edge of the spatula to make a small cut in the center of your pancakes-- when they're done the middle will look cakey and shouldn't be gooey or wet-looking at all. You know your stove temperature is right when your pancakes are a nice golden brown on both sides and they're done in the middle. If your stove is too hot, they'll be burned on the outside and gooey inside. Too cold and they'll be lightly tanned on the outside and tough on the inside. Anyway, once your pancakes are definitively done, remove them to a serving plate and eat them as soon as possible, with whatever toppings you prefer. I like the traditional maple syrup and butter combo, but pancakes are almost always tasty with applesauce on top, and sometimes sour cream. And who knows what else.
________
The other day, I went to visit my cousin who's about to enter seminary. We had a great visit, we talked about all kinds of things, and I learned something about my family: we are all rebels.
Only in my family would becoming a minister be a rebellious act, but it was. If my cousin had, for example, decided to go to a state college in pursuit of a bachelor's degree, he would be unexceptional for us. If he discovered while there that he was incredibly talented at, say, engineering, everyone would be applauding him right now. But instead, he decided to become a priest. A priest! A Catholic priest! If he had announced that he wanted to grow antlers and run away to the forest he would have been met with less resistance.
But he didn't want to grow antlers, he wanted to be a Catholic priest. And so he faced the flack, the flat-out, no-holds-barred, intrafamily gossiping, the subtle hints that his sexual libido would eventually grow into a One-Eyed, One-Horned, Giant Purple People Eater with dire consequences if he continued on his chosen path.
And that's what I mean when I say, "We are all rebels." My mom loves business. What did I do? I got a fine arts degree. Her mom was a housewife, member of the garden club, and proud supporter of the DAR. What did my mom do? Become the manager two steps down from the CEO of any company she works at. It's like some sort of Call of the Wild. Tell one of us what we should do and...hey, what are you doing? What? WHAT?! Yes, that person is now doing the exact opposite.
So, in the spirit of the upcoming Independence Day holiday, I have to mention that this uncontrollable personality trait may have been shared by the gentlemen who felt it would be appropriate to throw a whole boatload of very expensive tea in the ocean and set the boat on fire. Let freedom ring! And I love you, James! I'm so glad that you're my cousin.
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