The best Sugar-free, Gluten-free and Vegan Pancakes

Hello my lovelies!

I can’t believe it’s already February! The month of LOVE and romance… haha! What a way to add some excitement to these dreary winter days – a fun celebration?! (see other notes at the bottom)

Do tell, what is the best part of Valentine’s Day? I say breakfast! ;)

A simple, sweet (like sweet from the heart but not too sugary sweet) delicious and healthy breakfast that is satisfying and also gluten-free and vegan. With a nice cup of chai tea. Of course that’s served in bed after sleeping in from a full night of uninterrupted sleep… then i’d get attacked with lots of hugs and kisses from my 3 loves and I’m a happy girl! (ha! that full night of sleep may have to wait till next V-Day  (remember, I have a baby!) and ‘uninterrupted’ 18 years! But the hugs and kisses I think I can safely expect this year… that’s the best part anyway. Oh yes, that and these pancakes, even if I make them myself…. ;)

The Best Sugar-free, Gluten-free and Vegan Pancakes

Serves 4 Prep time 10 minutes Cook time 10 minutes

Ingredients : 

2 teaspoons chia seeds or ground flax (mixed with 6 tablespoons of warm water)
1 banana
1/2 cup rice flour
1/2 cup sorghum flour
2 tablespoons tapioca or arrowroot
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 – 1 cup almond milk
2 tablespoons of coconut oil, melted + extra for cooking

Directions :

In a small bowl, mix chia seeds with water and set aside for about 5 minutes. Add the banana and press down with a fork to break it down and combine with the chia ‘egg’.
Combine all the dry ingredients in another bowl. Add the chia and banana mixture, milk and coconut oil and mix to incorporate well. 
Heat a cast iron skillet and melt a tablespoon of coconut oil. Scoop about 1/4 cup of batter onto pan and cook for about 2 minutes, or until bubbles form on top. Flip over and cook other side for another minute or two.  Serve with fresh strawberries and a little drizzle of maple syrup.

Note : to help these bind you need either the banana or chia seeds but I like both because the banana adds a natural sweetness and the chia seeds add a great nutritional boost.
But if you can’t find chia or ground flax, you can just use the banana. 

I hope you’ll enjoy these delicious gluten-free and vegan pancakes soon. Like perhaps on Valentine’s Day!

 

Valentine’s Day is really NO big deal for us. It never was something crazy although pre-baby days, me and my boyfriend, then husband, would go out for dinner and get eachother something nice (yes, usually it was the common type gifts : jewellery, perfume, perhaps some lingerie!…) but we were also young, fell into the whole trap, and things like Etsy and ‘living in simplicity’ weren’t around back then. But we kept it down-to-earth, I always kept saying I don’t want anything (he would always get me something) and it was really really sweet… because girls love surprises and romanced and loved… 

I thought that once we had our first baby that things would never be the same and V-day would be just another day! But now it’s honestly better. Kids really teach you more about love than anything or anyone in the world. My heart melts everyday and I feel so blessed for having so much love in my life right now… and it’s the kids that really make it way more exciting and special.

As proof, my daughter today wrote the words ‘I Love You’ on my arm (she told me not to look and oh to my surprise) my heart just burst when I saw this! Sure, I could have been mad. She put pen to my skin. But it’s so much more than that – it’s allowing emotions to flow around in any shape or form and being free to express love however you want. (I just glanced at it right now – makes me SMILE so big!!  I want my kids to know it’s important and fun to do that, to show love freely. She of course, got attacked with kisses right back. I love little love-fests like this, little moments that feel like life could not be any better. Like Valentine’s Day really is every day!

Then there are moments when I’m near to falling apart… up at 3 am with little Amelia, she gets fussy, starts screaming, I feel completely helpless – it’s rough. But then, my husband gets up and takes her from me and works his daddy magic, hums a song and carries her around… there’s so much love in moments like this. I don’t need diamonds to show me he loves me, I have him caressing a fussy baby to show me he loves us. And that’s bigger than any gift I’ve ever gotten. It’s the gift of being a great husband and father. It’s the gift of a man stepping up and being there for you. That’s Valentine’s Day every day…

Love is so important. Everyday. Show it in any shape or form. And then when it’s Valentine’s Day – it’s even more visible with hand-drawn hearts and cards. As for us, we still say we don’t want anything, then get a little something… maybe ;)

Do tell, what would be the perfect Valentine’s Day for you?