Notes From Nikki--Father's Day Pancakes with a Green Twist

Photo by Kiah Graham

Banana, Coconut, and Cinnamon Pancakes with a Green Twist
If you're like me, you've got greens piling up in your fridge and are trying to stuff (or sneak ;-)) them into anything and everything this time of year. Why not pancakes? The idea came to me this morning as I started pulling out ingredients to whip up a batch of golden griddle cakes for Father's Day.
The recipe could easily be cut in half. This one makes about 18 medium-sized pancakes.
It would be fun to substitute the cinnamon with curry or garam masala, or use a teaspoon or two in conjunction with it. Let us know if you decide to try it.
Enjoy!

Ingredients

3 C white whole wheat flour (or whole wheat pastry flour)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
Generous pinch of sea salt
1-2 tsp cinnamon (depending again on your taste for it)
3 C + milk (buttermilk, kefir, and coconut milk would also work, or a combination)
3 large eggs
1-2 tsp of vanilla extract (depending on your taste for it)
2 ripe bananas
1-2 healthy, generous handfuls of beet greens, stemmed and torn (you can also use kale, chard, or spinach)
1/4 C (heaping) shredded coconut (unsweetened)
Butter and/or coconut oil for the griddle
Maple syrup and more butter for serving

1. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl using a wire whisk for even distribution.
2. Add the shredded coconut to the dry ingredients and whisk to combine.
3. Using a food processor or a blender, puree the bananas, greens, and 1 C of the milk.
4. Beat the eggs in a mixing bowl by hand with a wire whisk, and add in the vanilla, whisking to combine.
5. Add the pureed banana/greens mixture to the eggs and vanilla, plus 2 more C of milk. Stir to combine.
6. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until well incorporated. Add more milk if you like a thinner pancake batter.
7. Add butter and/or coconut oil to a griddle pan and turn the heat to medium.
8. Once the griddle is hot, start making and flipping your pancakes. (I like to keep the finished ones in a 250 degree oven until they're all done.)
9. Serve piping hot, topped with a pat of butter and a splash of real maple syrup. Sprinkle a little extra cinnamon on as a pretty garnish.

Makes 18 medium-sized pancakes

Happy Summer Solstice--the Longest Day of the Year

Happy Solstice. I am going to blame my limited blogging on the season; the long days leave few hours for sleep, let along spending much time in front of the computer. So I apologize for not updating on a regular basis with the various week's share contents. Now that the days are getting shorter, this all should change. Plus I hope CSA members are now receiving e-newsletters created by the very talented Kelly G. Her amazing photographs and recipe links are what will make up the bulk of the newsletter content.

So here we go, the first of many "This Week's Share"
-Leaf Lettuce Mix

-Kohlrabi

-Snow and Snap Peas

-Mint

-Baby Bulb Fennel

-Baby Beets
that are as much about the delicious greens as the small beet root

-Cooking Greens (your choice between Kale, Chard, and the spinach/chard hybrid-like perpetual spinach)

Below are some recipe and cooking links that might be useful in preparing this week's share vegetables. Enjoy the share, enjoy the summer

How to grill baby bulb fennel from a great Canadian cooking blog

A Fennel Risotto with Goat Cheese-one could replace the goat cheese with Highland Farm brebis available for purchase at Inverbrook

Mollie Katzen's great Beet and Fennel Salad

A Mint and Snap Pea recipe from Whole Living Magazine

A Greek recipe for Beet Greens (or chard) that calls for Greek yogurt, once again you could replace it with Highland Farm yogurt.

And finally Culinate's primer on the strange looking, but delicious kohlrabi