Gluten-free Vegan Pancakes

Full disclosure... I'm not vegan. And I don't eat exclusively gluten-free. But somewhere over the course of managing our kids' various and ever-changing dietary needs, I cobbled together this recipe for gluten-free, dairy-free, even soy-free pancakes. Honestly, they're probably my proudest food achievement to date. Not only do they earn me cheers from the family, I'd even go so far as to say that I prefer them to the "real" things.

The secret? Find yourself a good gluten-free flour blend. My favorite is Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free All Purpose Baking Flour. Out of the many gluten-free flour mixes I've sampled, Bob's Red Mill's is the hands-down winner in terms of flavor and texture. The pancakes it makes are soft and pillowy inside, with a crisp, golden brown exterior. Totally delicious.

Also, instead of butter, use coconut oil. Now that it's having its moment in the spotlight as the fat du jour, coconut oil should be fairly easy to track down in your neighborhood grocery store.

Give these bad boys a try. Seriously. And who knows? You might even be like me and make the switch for good.

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Gluten-free Vegan Pancakes

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Adapted from "Saveur: The New Comfort Food"

Despite the use of coconut milk and coconut oil, these pancakes don't have much of a coconut taste to them. Freeze any extras between pieces of wax paper in freezer bags and reheat in the toaster oven.

Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 cups gluten-free flour
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 3 tsp Ener-G Egg Replacer*
• 2 cups coconut milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 tbsp melted coconut oil
  
  

Directions

1. Place dry ingredients - gluten-free flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, egg replacer, and salt - into a large bowl and whisk to combine.
   
   
2. Allow coconut milk to come to room temperature. You can also heat it for 1 minute in the microwave if you're in a hurry. Add coconut milk to a medium bowl and whisk together with vanilla and 1 tbsp of coconut oil. Pour mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk until just combined - no dry lumps should remain.
   
   
3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tbsp of coconut oil and spread evenly to coat the skillet. Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, ladle in batter. Cook the pancakes, turning once, until golden brown on each side, about 5 minutes total. Transfer finished pancakes to a large plate. Repeat the process with the remaining oil, possibly additional oil, and the remaining batter.
   
   
4. Serve hot with your favorite butter substitute and maple syrup. If you're feeling fancy, sprinkle on a dusting of powdered sugar.
   
   

* You can use another brand of egg replacer. Just substitute the equivalent of 3 eggs worth. If you don't have any egg replacer, leave it out.