My mom's pup frolicking in the snow. Is this not the most joyful picture you've ever seen??! Photo courtesy of Marju Eisenberg.
Last weekend it was snow heaven. So much snow. Schools were canceled. I measured the snow sitting on top of our flower beds- we ended up with 13 inches! People were cross country skiing in the parks. And yes, I live in Chicago, this should not be shocking. But it was a legit magical snowfall. I don't complain about the snow- I am a weird breed of Chicagoan that gets upset when people complain about the weather all the time. "It's too hot. It's too cold. There's too much snow." Move to LA or take some vitamin D. But really, I have had a garage for the past 4 years so I do not stress about snow. #blessed Chicagoans are kinda crazy with the street parking. Dibs is very real and I have no interest in getting involved in any of that!
Anyways, so it was snowy and cozy and you know what that means! Fun in the kitchen! I experimented with quite a few cozy winter recipes that day (more to come soon!) basically because the cold makes me crave carbs. It seemed like a great day to make the oatmeal pancakes from the Shed plan. But because I am incapable of following a recipe to save my life (even my own!) - I ended up improvising and coming up with a new fun variation on the traditional recipe. These pancakes are #shedapproved for both month 1 and 2!
I think what I liked most about these was that compared to my favorite banana pancakes, these hold together beautifully. The combination of the oat flour and the pumpkin really make a nice batter! I probably didn't need the eggs- but I'm always glad to include some protein in breakfast!
I am also crazy about nut butter and berries. I learned this when I used to work at a juice shop. It is a life-changing combination.
The pancakes aren't sweet on their own, so the blueberries really add an extra something to them!
Having treats like this that are #shedapproved are really what makes living a healthy lifestyle something that you can do consistently! I highly recommend you make these bad boys. They may just change ya life!
Stay cozy, friends!
AHS
Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 15 oz can of pumpkin puree
- pumpkin pie spice (use liberally)
- olive oil spray
- 1-2 tbsp organic peanut butter
- 1/2 cup frozen organic blueberries (or fresh if they are in season)
Instructions
Blend or pulse oats in a blender or food processor until oats have the consistency of flour. Transfer to bowl. Add eggs, vanilla extract, pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice to bowl. Mix thoroughly (I used a hand mixer, you could use a tabletop mixer as well).
Heat a nonstick skillet lightly coated with olive oil spray over medium heat. Ladle batter into skillet to form pancakes. Cook for about 3 minutes. When they look like they have a solid base, flip. Cook for an additional minute or so until they have firmed and are golden brown. Serve with peanut butter and berries on top.
Notes
- While all oats should be gluten-free, due to how they are processed in the U.S. - often times they are not. Check the label to ensure they are gluten-free!
- I don't keep my food processor out all the time. So if you want, you can pulse extra oats to make this task easier for the next time. Do it in small batches, the food processor will not work as well with large quantities. I store my leftover oat flour in a sealed container in the fridge.
- Alternatively, you can use butter on the skillet and on the pancakes if you aren't into the peanut butter berry combo. Note: this makes them only #shedapproved for month 1.