Gluten-Free Oatmeal Fig Pancakes
As some of you avid readers of LOST know, I have been on a mindful eating trend for over two months now and that every Sunday, I break all rules for a feast. This week, the feast was a recreation of a mindful meal! My daily breakfast is 6 egg whites and a bowl of oatmeal in soy milk with dried figs. Its an amazingly filling breakfast. The whites are full of protein while the oatmeal provides the right kind of carbs with fiber and the figs make the meal just sweet enough to be considered a "sweet" oatmeal (side note: I have had savory oatmeal and it is BAD. I suggest sticking to sweet).
I wanted to convert this dish into something more decadent. So I decided on making these pancakes! Though its quite healthy, its still a lot more calories than my regular meal. Some notes on the pancakes: I separate the egg whites with the yolk and whip then until they form soft peaks. This gets them a little lift. I use oatmeal flour which is just store bought oatmeal that was blitzed up in a food processor. I add some chia seeds to give the oatmeal some texture and fiber. I add the figs right at the end so as to not flatten the batter that was lifted with egg whites. I add no sugar because to be honest it didn't seem to need it. However, I do top the pancakes off with some unflavored greek yogurt, maple syrup, and a touch of turmeric. Maple syrup is a great alternative to refined sugar with a lot more antioxidants than any other form of sugar. The turmeric adds no flavor but I just love the speckled yellow color it adds (plus it's reported to have amazing health benefits!).
Just look at those specs of turmeric!
Okay, so I lied this is super healthy. I wanted to feast but I just didn't seem to have the courage to break the mindful eating. Everyone should definitely try this! I loved making these pancakes and I hope you enjoy making this too with whatever fruits are popular at the time. As always please like, share, and comment!
Here's another picture of the final product. I can't stop looking at it! Aah :)
Ingredients
120g oat flour (oats blitzed in food processor)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 tablespoon chia seeds (or flax seeds or ground pumpkin seeds)
Pinch of salt
100ml soy milk (dairy, almond work well too)
2 large eggs, separated
100 g dried figs (or any fresh fruits. Blueberries, plums work well)
1 tablespoon of butter
Maple Syrup, Greek yoghurt and turmeric, to serve
Preparation
Step 1
Place all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl, mix to combine. Pour in the milk, vanilla essence and the egg yolks into the bowl. Whisk well until combined.
Step 2
In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until they hold soft peaks. Fold gently into the batter until combined.
Step 3
To cook the pancakes, melt the butter in a large frying pan over a medium heat and add a small ladleful of the mixture to the hot pan. Add figs now (a few in each pancake). Cook until you see bubbles form. About 2–3 minutes on each side.
Step 4
Serve the pancakes with yoghurt, figs, a drizzle of maple syrup, walnuts, and turmeric.
