Quinoa Pancakes {with blueberries and chocolate chips}

About a week ago I came across the food blog, Ambitious Kitchen.  I’ve since made three of her recipes – Banana Coconut Bread (best banana bread that’s ever crossed my lips), Vegan Banana “Ice Cream” (pureed frozen bananas plus toppings – genius), and these Quinoa Pancakes.

I tend to make a lot of pancakes for breakfast.  There’s a lemon ricotta one I’ve made a few times with almond flour that I love but Scott is just so-so on, a four grain one we all like that is made with whole wheat flour, white flour, oats, and cornmeal, and an old fashioned fluffy buttermilk pancake recipe passed down by my mom and grandmom.  I never thought to make quinoa pancakes until reading this recipe but it will definitely be in my regular rotation now.  I’ve made them twice in three days!

If you keep a container of cooked quinoa in the fridge these pancakes go together in no time.  I was a little skeptical about the combination of blueberries and chocolate chips but they were wonderful together.  The protein-packed quinoa gives the pancakes a pleasant chewy texture and the rich, sweet, dark chocolate was the perfect counterpoint to the tart, juicy blueberries.

I found the pancakes needed to sit in the pan just a bit longer than a “regular” pancake, but for me, it was totally worth the little extra time.  I made a double batch both times I made them and we’ve been enjoying the leftovers all week.  I’ve found leftover pancakes to be especially nice on those nutty get-out-of-the-house-and-off-to-school mornings, to which I am still adjusting.  Our leisurely weekday breakfasts seem to be gone but at least we can still have our pancakes!

You can use this recipe as a base for just about any fruit you like – add fresh or frozen raspberries (and dark chocolate?!), diced fresh or frozen peaches, or make them plain and top with a fruit compote (boil any fruit with some lemon juice and sugar for a quick and delicious pancake topping.

A few minor changes I made to Ambitious Kitchen’s recipe:

• I cut the chocolate chips amount in half – for a double batch I used 1/2 cup.
• I used whole eggs instead of just whites, so 3 eggs for a double batch.
• For a double batch I used 3/4 cup white flour and 3/4 cup whole wheat flour.

Click here for a link to the Ambitious Kitchen’s recipe, and while you’re there, have some fun poking around.  The girl has some seriously delicious and healthy food, as well as downright sinful indulgences…and everyone needs something like once in awhile!