My continuing gluten-free story…over the past few months I’ve been trying out more GF recipes and using different mixes to see how they bake up.  I’ve found that – for me, at least – GF pancakes come out less dense and more cakey (rather than kind of damp in the middle…) than wheat pancakes.  This is a good thing.

The inspiration for these pancakes comes from the Chocolate Granola with Red Berries recipe from Compassionate Cuisine.  This granola was begging to have some pancake wrapped around it.  And it’s a well-known fact that everything, even breakfast, tastes better with chocolate sauce on top.

Note: the sugar- and oil-free in the title refer to the pancakes and the chocolate sauce.  There is coconut oil and maple syrup (yes, it’s sugar) in the granola.

Whole Grain Gluten-Free Pancakes
Makes 14

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/4 cup nut milk
• ~1 cup water
• 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp. flaxseed meal + 6 tbsp. water (whisk together then let sit for a few minutes)
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups whole grain gluten-free mix (I use King Arthur Flour’s Whole Grain Mix)
• 1/2 tsp. powdered stevia
• 3/4 tsp. xanthan gum
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 3/4 tsp. baking soda
• pinch salt

DIRECTIONS

1. While you mix up the batter, heat a skillet or griddle.
2. In a large bowl, combine the GF mix, powdered stevia, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  In a small bowl, whisk together the nut milk, apple cider vinegar, water, flaxseed meal mixture, and vanilla extract.  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir well to combine.  If the batter seems too thick, add more water.  Let the batter sit for a few minutes.
3. Spoon batter onto the skillet or griddle and drop a tablespoon or so of chocolate granola over each pancake.  Cook until the top dries and small bubbles pop up on the surface of the pancake and then carefully flip and cook for a few more minutes – these are thick pancakes.  Serve piping hot with additional granola, if desired, and chocolate sauce.

Chocolate Granola with Dried Cherries & Ginger
Makes about 6 cups

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1/4 cup double dutch or regular cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 cup brown rice puff cereal
• 2 cups regular oats
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds
• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
• 1/3 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 cup dried tart cherries
• 1/4 cup crystallized ginger, chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 275F.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the cereal, oats, almonds, pecans, coconut, and cinnamon.  In a small saucepan, warm up the coconut oil, cocoa powder, and maple syrup and whisk until combined.
3. Pour the cocoa mixture over the dry ingredients and stir until everything is evenly coated with the sauce.  Place in the oven and bake for about 10 minutes.  Remove pan from the oven, stir, and return to the oven for another 10 minutes.  Keep checking and stirring at 10 minute intervals until the granola is a deep, rich brown.  During the last 10 minutes, stir in the cherries and ginger.
4. Remove from the oven and allow to cool, stirring once in a while to keep the granola from clumping too much.  Cool completely before storing.

Date-Coconut Chocolate Sauce
Makes 1 1/4 cups

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup dates, soaked
• 1 tbsp. double dutch cocoa powder or cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup water
• 3/4 cup coconut milk
• 1/4 tsp. coconut extract, optional

DIRECTIONS

1. Place all ingredients in a blender and process until very smooth.  Gently heat on the stove top or in a microwave.

P.S. this sauce works deliciously as an add-in to hot chocolate…