I love the noble sound of Kathy Hester’s newest cookbook, The Great Vegan Bean Book. I know beans are considered to be one of the humblest of foods, but considering how often I eat them and how versatile they are, they seem pretty darn great to me. Even though I thought I had a pretty good handle on how to get the best out of beans, Kathy Hester puts me to shame. She has a new cookbook out that features beans – all kinds of beans – that take us from breakfast all the way through to sweet and healthy desserts.
I’m familiar with Kathy from her wonderful book, The Vegan Slow Cooker, that I reviewed last year. It’s a well-worn, well-thumbed cookbook on my shelf – a classic for slow cookery. Her Bean Book is another winning collection of recipes that I know will become just as dog-eared. The photos (by Renee Comet) are simple and beautiful and showcase what matters – Kathy’s delicious recipes.
So, why do I love Kathy’s cookbooks and why do I return to them again and again?
- Her recipes are simple and quick to put together;
- like me she goes light on refined ingredients and uses low amounts of oil and sweeteners;
- her recipes are consistent and reliable. I know they’re going to work, and most importantly;
- everything I’ve made has been delicious.
You can purchase any or all of Kathy’s cookbooks here, and be sure to visit her site, Healthy Slow Cooking, for more recipes. By the way, Kathy was a participant in the May 11 Potluck (check out her recipe for Vanilla Rosewater Parfaits) and she also sponsors the event – so please show her some vegan food blogger luv!
Today, I’m happy to be able to share her recipe for Enchanted Vanilla Pancakes with Chai-Spiced Peach Compote (reprinted here with permission). This combination is my ideal Sunday breakfast. Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve made many other recipes from the book and I’ve shared those photos below the recipe.
Enter the giveaway below – it’s open from today until June 14. (Sorry, my overseas friends – this giveaway is open only to those in the U.S. and Canada.) There are many other opportunities this month to win a copy of Kathy’s book – check out the list of participating blogs right here!
Enchanted Vanilla Pancakes with Chai-Spiced Peach Compote
Makes ~12
Dry Ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (use a gluten-free mix if you prefer)
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
Wet Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups cooked white beans (or 1 15 oz. can), rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups non-dairy milk, vanilla if possible
1/2 cups rolled oats
2 tbsp. olive oil or water
2 tbsp. agave nectar
1 tbsp. ground flaxseed mixed with 2 tbsp. warm water
1 tsp. vanilla extract
To prepare the dry ingredients, mix all the ingredients in a large bowl.
To prepare the wet ingredients, add all the ingredients to a food processor and puree. Add the puree to the dry ingredients. Mix with a wooden spoon until thoroughly combined.
Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. you can cook a few at a time, but make sure not to crowd them in the pan. Cook until you can see a few bubbles on the top and the edges are dry, then flip and cook a few minutes more until the pancake is cooked through.
*I made the batter up the night before, stored it in the refrigerator and the pancakes cooked up beautifully.
Chai-Spiced Peach Compote
5 peaches
1 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 tsp. cardamom
1/4 tsp. allspice
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
Sweetener of your choice, to taste
To prepare the compote, cut the peaches in half, remove the stone, and remove the peel. If the peaches are ripe enough, the skins will peel off easily. Cut into small pieces.
Add all of the ingredients to a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Decrease the heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes until the fruit is cooked through.
