Homemade Pancake Mix

I love pancakes. I really do. Pancakes are one of the easiest gluten-free bread products to make. You can make them free of any and all allergens, hide fruits and veggies in them, and add in supplements like protein powder or extra calcium. What’s not to love about that?

But Wait, There’s More!

Pancakes are a big time-saver for me because once a week or so I make a big batch of pancakes, then save the leftovers in the fridge for quick breakfasts later. When I’m really on my game, I even remember to flash freeze some for the future. It takes the same amount of time to mix up and clean up after a single or a triple batch of pancakes; the only difference is the actual cooking time, so I might as well cook big batches to save time in the long run.

Can It Get Any Better?

YES! Of course, using a pancake mix speeds the process up even more. But rather than purchasing a pricy ready-made Gluten-Free Pancake mix, I make my own. I’ve adapted the pancake recipe from the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook to create an allergen-free pancake mix. (The recipe is on p. 126 in my copy. Yes, I do have that fact memorized. Why do you ask?)

Homemade Everything-Free Pancake Mix

12 Cups Gluten-Free, Corn-Free Flour Mix (right now my mix is 3 Cups Tapioca Starch, 3 Cups Buckwheat Flour, 3 Cups Bean Flour, and 3 Cups Amaranth Flour.)

¾ Cup Sugar

½ Cup Baking Powder (make your own if you’re avoiding corn or other grains)

1 Tablespoon Salt

¾ Cup Flax Seed Meal (optional, but helpful if you’re omitting the egg)

¼ Cup Guar Gum (optional)

Mix together thoroughly. Or in my case, put it in a container with a tight-fitting lid and shake it up, baby!

To make a single batch of pancakes, mix together:

1 Cup of Homemade Pancake Mix

2 Tablespoons Oil (we prefer Olive Oil)

1 egg (optional)

1 Cup Liquid (this could be Water, Juice, Non-Dairy Milk, etc.)

Adjust the consistency for your preferred pancake thickness and fry on a medium-hot griddle.

I usually sprinkle in some hemp-based protein powder as well as some calcium powder. If you want to add supplements, just be sure to adjust the liquid in the recipe accordingly. If you want to sneak some fruits and veggies in there, just finely grate or puree your addition, mix in ¼ cup of fruit or vegetable per cup of flour, and adjust the liquid in the recipe as needed. Play spy music in the background while mixing and make sure none of the little people are watching for the full effect!

Tuesday Tips – Flash Freezing

So you’ve made a big batch of gluten-free pancakes or egg-free meatballs and you want to save some for later. If you’re like me, you throw it in a freezer bag, maybe label it (maybe), then toss it in the freezer, hoping for the best. And then what happens? The meatballs stick together, the pancakes turn into soggy messes as they thaw and all your hard work to prepare and store a special allergen-free food is wasted.

The problem is steam. The beautiful, aromatic steam that looks so appetizing swirling up from the food on the table is your enemy in the freezer. It condenses and forms ice crystals on the outside of your food. The ice crystals freeze the pieces of food together, or melt into water as they thaw, drenching your breads into unappetizing sogginess.

The answer is “flash freezing”. Simply spread your food on a metal cookie sheet or jelly roll pan in a single layer, making sure the pieces aren’t overlapping (much), and put it in the freezer. Once the pieces are frozen, pop them off the cookie sheet and place them into a freezer bag. You can even put the food in the freezer while it’s still hot – it won’t matter. The steam evaporates into the freezer air, and your food will be dry on the outside.

It only takes a few hours or overnight at most for small pieces to freeze. I don’t recommend letting your food sit in the freezer for days on end still on the pan. That’s pretty much asking for freezer burn right there. Oh, and do label the freezer bag with both the contents and the date. Unless you’re an archeologist, you probably won’t enjoy discovering that what you thought were last month’s dairy-free biscuits are really vegan quinoa burgers dating from the Clinton Administration.