And the answer to those questions is yes, and yes. But for some reason I just have a mental block with pancakes, and I think it’s because I’m a food photographer. I know that if I make pancakes, I’m going to want to take at least a few action shots where I’m drizzling syrup onto the pancakes. And those photos will take some time to get right (always worth it though!), in which time the pancakes will (a) get cold and (b) get drowned in an inordinate amount of maple syrup. And I really love eating pancakes warm and don’t like them swimming in syrup. Cold pancakes taste like cardboard to me, and drenched pancakes taste like mush to me, and I’d rather go hungry than eat either variety. I finally solved this seemingly intractable dilemma by resolving to eat a few pancakes BEFORE photographing them so I could enjoy them warm and with the appropriate amount of syrup, and then take time to get the photos I wanted. Genius, right? Now that I’ve given you my whole history with pancakes, let’s talk about this recipe! These Vegan Quinoa Buckwheat Pancakes are probably the healthiest pancakes I’ve ever made, and I am pretty proud of them. They are vegan, gluten-free, and free of refined flours and sugars. But they still taste pretty damn good! See, you CAN have your cake (pancakes) and eat it too. The star ingredients are quinoa flour and buckwheat flour. I decided to combine these two because (a) my friend Natalie of Feasting on Fruit made these crazy cool quinoa pancakes last year that have always appealed to me, and (b) I recently had buckwheat pancakes at brunch and was very impressed. Of course, if you don’t have both of those flours, try using just one of them and doubling the amount. And if you want to use both types of flour but don’t want to buy both, you can make your own! I’ve included links to how-to-videos in the recipe below. The remaining ingredients and directions are pretty simple and straightforward for anyone who has ever made pancakes. A few tips to help you succeed with these pancakes.
Resist the urge to over mix the batter. It will get really thick if you do. But, don’t be alarmed if the batter is thick. It should be quite thick, as quinoa and buckwheat flours are more dense than all-purpose flour! Don’t worry, the pancakes don’t end up undercooked or lumpy. If the pancake batter seems too thick to spread into a pan, add a bit more water and whisk to combine. Allowing the batter to rest before cooking helps everything mesh together and causes the baking powder to react with the vinegar. That reaction causes those cute little bubbles to form on the surface and gives these pancakes a bit of a rise.
When it comes to serving these vegan buckwheat quinoa pancakes, you can’t go wrong with a little pure maple syrup and fresh berries, but I recommend making the Roasted Berries below. It’s a simple, hands-off recipe that is so delicious. Just toss a mixture of your favorite berries with a little sweetener and roast in the oven until they’re soft and syrupy. And with a little dollop of vegan whipped topping or coconut whipped cream, it is the perfect indulgent yet healthy treat. If you’re looking for even more delicious ways to top your pancakes, here are some ideas to get you thinking outside the box!
Raspberry Jam(or any flavor of jam) + bananas Chocolate sauce or vegan Nutella spread + strawberries Vegan yogurt + fresh berries (for a healthy post-workout treat) Raspberry-cranberry sauce Caramelized bananas + toasted coconut + maple syrup Almond butter sauce + dark chocolate chips or chunks Go savory! Omit the maple syrup called for in the recipe and top this with your favorite savory topping, like the creamy mushrooms in this recipe or this wild mushroom and tomato ragu.
If you make these pancakes, be sure to tag me on Instagram! Bon Appétit!
Big Vegan Flavor
Techniques and 150 recipes to master vegan cooking.