Vegan Pancakes

I am not going to sugar coat it... my favorite all-time pancakes are buttermilk pancakes.  But, being that there is not much else I use fresh buttermilk for, and that my delicious buttermilk pancake recipe is not the lowest calorie breakfast, I have been in search of a good substitute for "everyday" use.

I like to make a large batch of pancakes on the weekend, then freeze what I don't eat so I can grab it during the work-week, place it in the toaster (Eggo-style!), and eat it on the run if necessary.  Another favorite way to eat a pancake during the week is to replace syrup with yogurt.  It can still have a sweet fruit flavor, if you like, but with added protein and good bacteria (something my household is always in search of more of.. more good bacteria!).

This morning I tried Hidden Fruits and Veggies' recipe for Chia Seed Pancakes.  This recipe is vegan (chia seeds provide a great substitute for eggs), and quite good!

For those of you who haven't yet heard of chia seeds, they are essentially a super food, my favorite aspects being their high protein and antioxidant levels.  The best part (in my opinion) is that in my area, they grow wild and can be gathered.  Native American Indians in southern California gathered them for centuries.  They gathered them by using a traditional seed-beater and basket to collect the seeds.  I stumbled upon Deborah Small's blog, which I immediately fell in love with.  You can view how the chia seeds were collected by some modern-day ethnobotanists (apparently a fly swatter will get the job done about as well as a seed-beater, though perhaps without the same ambiance), and glimpse what the chia plant in southern California looks like.

I love making food that comes from the natural landscape.  It gives me confidence that when the zombie apocalypse happens, at least we will be able to eat some buttermilk pancakes.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!