Hi, #NOWFam!
It’s Emily Rae here and I hope you’re all staying safe, well + most importantly all cozied up at home! Some of you may know me from vinyasa + restorative classes over at the Division studio but I’m also a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. One of my main hobbies and self-care activities is cooking and I would love to share that with you all over the next few weeks with recipe blog posts. We’ll keep this first one super simple + straight-forward and I’ll show you how to make… vegan chickpea flour pancakes!
I don’t know about y’all, but I’m craving all the savory, dense foods right now. It’s our body’s way of letting us know that we still need proper nourishment- even when we’re thrown out of our normal routines. The act of maintaining regular meal times can be helpful during times of stress- starting with a healthy, filling breakfast! These pancakes are a great source of iron and protein.
Nutrition tip: Plant-based iron is better absorbed when we eat it with a source of vitamin C. Serve a fruit dense in vitamin C ( strawberries, orange, pineapple) alongside your chickpea pancakes to increase your body’s absorption of the iron!
Ingredients:
Olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup onion, diced
1 cup chickpea flour*
1/2 tsp Indian black salt (substitute regular old salt- no big deal!)
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp thyme
1 tbs nutritional yeast
1/2 cup water (plus a few extra tbs if it’s looking too dense)
Optional:
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes
Additional veggie add-ins: kale, mushroom, etc
Directions:
Sauté garlic + onion in your choice of oil till softened and lightly browned (I use olive!) If you’re using extra veggies/sun-dried tomatoes, now is the time to lightly sauté those as well till soft.
Grab a medium mixing bowl + mix together your chickpea flour and spices (use what’s in your pantry- feel free to add or subtract spices to your preferences)
Slowly add in 1/2 cup water while whisking, adding more if necessary- it should be about the consistency of thick pancake batter
Add in veggies/garlic/onion mixture and heat up some more oil in a large skillet.
Pour 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake, cooking about 4 minutes each side over medium-low heat.
Enjoy! I like to top mine with hot sauce but feel free to get fancy with your toppings
*Chickpea flour can be bought in bags at the store but you can easily make your own using dried chickpeas! Just throw them in a blender/food processor and bam- your own chickpea flour.
I hope you enjoy this recipe + let us know if you try it out by tagging us on social media @nowyoga_pdx
Wishing you wellness,
Emily Rae, RD, RYT