Recipe for Blueberry Buckwheat Pancakes

Happy Friday! I am so glad my weekend has already started. It was a busy week at work for me. I work for Healthy Utah, the worksite wellness program for the state. Every year we have a conference for our wellness council members. The conference was yesterday and it went really well. We had speakers address nutrition and physical activity at work, tobacco free worksites, and we also launched a new "Work Well" Challenge. It was a lot of work, but everything went well. I am still glad it is over though:)

The other night we made breakfast for dinner. We do this a lot because we rarely have time to make anything fancy or special in the morning. I usually just eat my oatmeal at my desk. I've been wanting to try buckwheat flour for awhile, so we made Blueberry Buckwheat Pancakes.

Buckwheat flour has a rich, nutty flavor and is high in protein and fiber. It is also gluten free. We mixed the buckwheat flour with whole wheat flour. I loved the texture and flavor of these pancakes. They were wholesome and filling. We added in fresh blueberries which really made these pancakes special.

If you are looking for a new healthy breakfast or even dinner option, try these pancakes! This batch made enough for about six people. We had extras, so we put some in the freezer to reheat on busy mornings! Enjoy and have a great weekend!

Blueberry Buckwheat Pancakes

Adapted from Ellie Krieger

(Printable Recipe)

1 cup buckwheat flour

3/4 whole wheat flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 cup low-fat buttermilk

3/4 cup skim milk

1 T honey

2 eggs

2 T. sugar

1 T. canola oil

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup of fresh blueberries

Extra blueberries and fruit for serving (optional)

Powdered sugar

Maple Syrup

In a large bowl whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. In another bowl, beat together the buttermilk, non-fat milk, honey, eggs, sugar, oil, and vanilla. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, mixing only enough to combine them. Stir in berries.

Preheat a large nonstick griddle. You can use a skillet if you don't have a griddle. Ladle the batter onto the hot griddle or skillet , use about a 1/4 cup batter. Flip the pancake when it is golden brown on the bottom and there are lots of bubbles. Don't flip them too soon. Cook the other side until golden brown. Serve hot with syrup and extra fruit, if you wish!

Parmesan Potato Pancake with Blackened Salmon

Josh is in charge of cooking once a week. We always cook together, but I have to work late once a week so he takes complete control of what is on the menu.

This week I opened the door to one HOT chef:) Josh was cooking up a storm! He made Giada's Parmesan Pancake with Blackened Salmon. He even did the grocery shopping by himself. It was a nice surprise!!

Josh used Yukon gold potatoes and really good Parmesan to make this stellar pancake. Good ingredients really made a difference here! The fresh basil was nice too! He cooked it until golden brown. Perfection!!

Josh really went crazy with the salmon. He coated the fillets in Italian breadcrumbs with blackening spices. So good! He also made two sauces, a Dijon mustard and balsamic sauce. They were incredible!!

This meal was top notch!! Chef Joshua really out did himself. I have the most amazing hubby:)








Parmesan Potato Pancake

Adapted from Giada

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled
1 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Warm the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large (12-inch diameter) nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until tender and fragrant, about another 2 minutes. Season the onion mixture with salt and pepper. Transfer the onion mixture to a large bowl and set aside. Reserve the pan.

Meanwhile, grate the potatoes in a food processor using the grating attachment blade. Use a kitchen towel to help squeeze out the water from the grated potatoes. Add the potatoes to the bowl with the onion mixture. Add the Parmesan and the basil. Stir to combine and season with additional salt and pepper, to taste.

Warm the remaining olive oil over high heat in the same pan that was used to cook the onions. When the pan is hot, but not smoking add the potato mixture. Use a spatula to press the mixture down into the pan firmly and evenly. Turn the heat down to medium and cook the potato mixture until the bottom is golden brown and the pancake can move in the pan, about 12 to 15 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium-low if the pancake is browning too fast in places. Place a large plate on top of the pancake and flip the pancake out of the pan. Turn the heat on the pan back up to high. When the pan is hot slide the pancake back into the pan and cook until the bottom is golden and is cooked through, about 12 to 15 minutes. Slide the pancake onto a serving platter, slice, and serve.

Blackened Salmon

Adapted from Food Network

Dijon Sauce:
1/4 teaspoon chopped fine shallots
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup fine Dijon mustard
¼ cup honey
Pinch paprika

Balsamic Sauce:
1/4 teaspoon chopped fine shallots
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped if desired

Blackened Mix:
2 cups Italian bread crumbs
2 tablespoons Italian herb mix
1 tablespoon garlic chopped in olive oil
1/4 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons blackened red fish mix
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

Fresh salmon fillets (We had too much sauce and mix for six pieces of salmon. It probably is meant for 8 pieces, so half the recipes, if you wish!)

For the Dijon sauce, saute on medium heat 1/4 teaspoon chopped fine shallots and 1 tablespoon butter. Then add 1/4 cup white wine, Dijon mustard, honey, and a pinch of paprika. Simmer for 3 minutes.

For the balsamic sauce, saute on medium heat 1/4 teaspoon chopped fine shallots 1 tablespoon butter. Then add balsamic vinegar, vegetable broth and 1/2 teaspoon fresh rosemary chopped, if desired. Bring to a boil and reduce by 1/2 or until it coats back of spoon.

Mix all blackened mixture ingredients together in a blender or food processor. Coat salmon fillets with mixture. Saute on each side 3 to 4 minutes over high flame. Place in a preheated 400 degree oven 6 to12 minutes, or to your liking. Serve with sauces. We also served the salmon with the potato pancakes.

Oven Berry Pancakes

I finally got my hands on Ina Garten's new book: Barefoot Contessa, Back to Basics. So far I am loving it. We haven't had time to try a lot of the recipes, but I can just tell this one is a winner! I have already made a list of recipes to try and it is almost the entire book:)

We did make her Oven Berry Pancakes and they were fantastic! I love that these are individual pancakes. You make them in four, 6 to 7 inch, gratin dishes. We had all of the ingredients on hand, which I also loved. You can make these whenever you are in the mood for something special in the morning.

Ina uses orange zest in the pancakes, but we opted for lemon. I am sure both are tasty. The pancakes puff in the oven, which is my favorite part. They are so fun! We filled the pancakes with berries, but you could use any fruit or do the traditional syrup thing.

This is the perfect breakfast for company. You don't have to stand over the griddle flipping hot cakes, you just put them in the oven and relax! They only take about 15 minutes to bake. Plus, everyone gets their own! I am sure your guests would feel extra special if they woke up to these pancakes!

Berry Oven Pancakes

Adapted from Ina Garten

1 cup of EACH raspberries, blueberries, blackberries (you can use strawberries too)
1 T sugar
2 T melted butter, plus 4 teaspoons for the dishes
3 eggs
½ cup milk (we used skim)
½ cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (Ina uses orange)
¼ teaspoon salt
Powdered sugar for garnish (and syrup if you wish)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Combine berries and sugar in a small bowl and set aside. Place 4 (6 to 7 inch) individual gratin dishes on a baking sheet. Place 1 tsp. of butter in each gratin dish and set aside.

Place the eggs in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whish attachment and beat on medium speed until combined. Add the milk and mix. Slowly add the flour, vanilla, lemon zest, 2 T of melted butter, and the salt and mix just until smooth. Whisk by hand if the batter is still lumpy.

Place the gratin dishes in the oven for three minutes, until the butter is hot and bubbly. Make sure the butter covers the bottom of each dish. Divide the batter equally among the four dishes and bake 12-14 minutes, until puffed and lightly browned. Divide the berries among the dishes and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Add syrup if you wish. Serve hot!

Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes

Everyone is wondering how we find the time to cook and bake so much. We are not slaves to our kitchen, we just work as a team...four hands are much better than two:) So while I am sifting the dry ingredients, Josh is measuring out the liquids...or while Josh is making the dough, I am working on the sauce, etc. So recipes come together in no time! Josh is my side-kick. We do almost everything together. Being in the kitchen is so fun for us!

So with that said...I had nothing to do with this meal:) It was all Josh. I had to work late so he made me dinner all by his lonesome. He tries to cook for me a lot, but I usually won't let him because I enjoy helping. I can't relax if I know he is in the kitchen cooking up a storm. It is not fair to let him have all the fun! But this time I wasn't home so he surprised me with a terrific meal.

We love having breakfast foods for dinner, sometimes it is too hard to cook a big meal in the mornings...except for on weekends. So when I walked in the door to the smell of pancakes cooking on the griddle, I was very excited. I was even more excited when I saw the plump blueberries inside. YUM!!!

Josh made Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes with the works. He knows I don't like eggs that much but I do appreciate scrambled egg whites so he made those and some hashbrowns. He also cooked up some sausage for his plate. I don't eat the stuff.

The meal was very tasty!! I have the greatest husband!!

Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes

1 cup flour (I use half whole wheat)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
Pinch of cinnamon
1 cup buttermilk, plus 2 Tablespoons
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
Optional toppings-syrup, powdered sugar, jam, etc.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, powder, soda, salt, and cinnamon. In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk, oil, egg, and vanilla. Pour into flour mixture and stir lightly until just combined. The batter will be lumpy and that is OK! Grease a non-stick skillet and cook pancakes on medium heat. As soon as you pour the batter on the griddle, drop the blueberries on the pancake. Cook until the edges bubble. Flip and cook other side. Serve with syrup, etc. Really any toppings you want!

Pumpkin Pancakes with Cinnamon Syrup

If you are a pumpkin lover and enjoy a special breakfast treat, these are the pancakes for you! Pumpkin is everywhere this time of year so why not add it into breakfast too?

I created a pumpkin/buttermilk pancake with some cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and vanilla. All the great fall flavors in one! I used half whole wheat flour so they were nice and hearty but still really fluffy.

Now let me tell you about the syrup. You might need to sit down for this one. The syrup is absolutely amazing. I think I could drink the stuff by the gallon! It was so easy to make too. A little sugar, cinnamon, flour, vanilla, water...boil it, whisk it, and ta dah...you have the best homemade syrup ever. Pour it over pumpkin pancakes and indulge.

The cinnamon syrup goes perfectly with the pancakes. I think they are a match made in heaven. So wake up early and enjoy a delicious fall breakfast. Your tummy will thank you!

Pumpkin Pancakes

(Print Recipe)

Makes 13-15 pancakes

Ingredients

1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
6 tablespoons (packed) brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Dash of ground cloves
Dash of nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 2/3 cups buttermilk
3/4 cup canned solid pack pumpkin
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, melted

Mix first 9 ingredients in large bowl to blend. Whisk buttermilk, pumpkin, eggs, vanilla, and melted butter in medium bowl until well blended. Add to dry ingredients and whisk until smooth.

Spray a skillet or griddle with cooking spray. Working in batches, drop batter by 1/4 cupfuls into skillet or griddle. Cook pancakes until bubbles form on top and bottoms are golden brown, about 2 1/2 minutes. Turn pancakes over. Cook until bottoms are golden brown, about 2 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter.

Serve pancakes hot with cinnamon syrup and a dusting of powdered sugar.

Cinnamon Syrup

1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup water

Stir together dry ingredients in a small saucepan. Then add water and vanilla. Bring to a rolling boil, stirring often. Continue boiling and stir until mixture thickens to syrup consistency. About 5-8 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand a few minutes before serving. Serve with warm pancakes!

Buttermilk Peach Pancakes

Utah has the best peaches and they are ripe and ready right now! There is nothing like biting into a soft, fuzzy, juicy peach!! We enjoy eating them plain, but I was in the mood for a breakfast treat so I made Buttermilk Peach Pancakes.

They were out of this world!! I think the best pancakes I have had in a good long time, maybe ever! The pancakes were light and fluffy and the peaches added some super sweetness! The hint of almond extract was divine with the peaches. We topped them off with strawberries, powdered sugar, and some real maple syrup. That is what I call breakfast!




Buttermilk Peach Pancakes

1 cup flour (I use half whole wheat)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk, plus 2 Tablespoons
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 egg
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon almond extract
2 peaches, peeled and diced
Optional toppings-strawberries, peaches, powdered sugar, syrup, etc.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, powder, soda and salt. In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk, oil, egg, vanilla, and almond extracts. Pour into flour mixture and stir lightly until just combined. The batter will be lumpy and that is OK! Gently stir in peaches. Grease a non-stick skillet and cook pancakes on medium heat, until the edges bubble. Flip and cook other side. Serve with strawberries, more peaches, powdered sugar, and syrup! Really any toppings you want!

I think Josh liked them:)