"Everthing-free" Almond Poppyseed Pancakes

This is still a work in progress, but I've enjoyed them so much that I wanted to get this out there for others to try. These have turned out more thick and fluffy than my pancakes usually are, which has been a nice change.  I have also been experimenting with citrus-poppyseed pancakes, but the results have not yet been quite good enough to share.

I am still tinkering with the type and amount of sweetener. First, I used two tablespoons of coconut sugar, but they were not sweet enough. In the batch I'm making tonight, I used two tablespoons of "Monkfruit" sweetener. I'm sure they would be quite good with refined cane sugar, but I am trying to cut back on that, so I'm working with other options. If sugar is not an issue for you, you could probably use a couple of tablespoons, or maybe even a quarter cup, of regular granulated sugar.

I am writing this post in-between tending pancakes as they cook, and I've just tried the first ones out of the pan. Hmm....the monkfruit sweetener did work, though I think they still need to be just a bit more sweet. They also browned slowly. The type and amount of sweetener used definitely impacts how they brown. Next batch, I may try a little bit of liquid stevia, or maybe some honey or agave nectar, to boost the sweetness. I'll keep you posted. :) Still, they are soft and fluffy and good. :)

On a chilly day, there are few things as comforting as pancakes. Even though they're not quite perfect, these are still tasty, and I hope you enjoy them. :)

"Everthing-free" Almond Poppyseed Pancakes
wheat-free, gluten-free, egg-free, dairy-free, soy-free, vegan

makes about ten, 3" pancakes

Dry ingredients: whisk together well in a large bowl

1 cup fine millet flour
1 cup tapioca starch
(this is what I use. I'd be interested to hear how these work using 2 cups of other gluten-free flour blends)
(2 to 4 Tablespoons coconut sugar or other sweetener)
1 Tablespoon flaxmeal
1 Tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons poppyseeds 
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum

Why I use these flours: millet flour and tapioca starch are almost the only flours/starches that my body will tolerate. Also, I like the texture when they are combined. To me, it resembles unbleached wheat flour.

Wet ingredients:combine in smaller bowl and whisk together well
2 Tablespoons flax gel (see my post from May 4, 2018 for directions on making flax gel)
1/4 cup neutral cooking oil (I used grapeseed oil)
2 teaspoons melted coconut oil (this is important, when not using eggs)
2 teaspoons almond extract (**for the very sensitive, make sure it's gluten-free!)
1 cup coconut milk (the beverage, not the thick kind in a can)

Directions:
Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk until very well combined.
Let batter rest before using, anywhere from fifteen to thirty minutes.

Cooking: everyone's kitchen and tools are so different that it is hard to give specific cooking directions. For many years, I have used non-stick electric griddles for cooking pancakes. Now that I live full-time in a travel trailer, there is no room for such gadgets. I am adjusting to cooking pancakes in a skillet, and relearning how to cook on a gas stove, which I have not done in almost thirty years! The gas stove I am using does not have a really low setting for the burners, so what is the lowest mark on the knob for me might actually be medium-low on someone else's stove. When I used the electric griddle, I cooked my pancakes at a little less than 350 degrees, usually at about 335-340. I like a slower bake, so the middle cooks before the outside burns. When I cooked them in a skillet on our electric stove, I would set the heat at medium-low. 

With the griddle, I would always spray the surface with cooking spray between every batch. When cooking them in a skillet, I would use oil. I have a nice new (non-toxic) non-stick skillet, so they actually work fine without oil. I don't love the dry surface when they're cooked without any oil at all. If I add oil, the first few pancakes soak it all up and are just dripping with oil by the time they're done. This time, I tried using a little baking spray in the skillet. It worked okay- not much difference from just the dry skillet. There must be a happy medium, somewhere between bone dry and dripping with grease. :)

After my batter rested for about ten minutes, I started heating my skillet. It takes about five minutes to heat. You know your equipment best, so go with what you know. :) I use a scoop to dollop the batter into the pan. It's quick and the pancakes are all fairly equal in size, so they cook at the same rate. Using my two-tablespoon scoop, I got ten pancakes from this batter.

Cook just until the edges of the pancakes start to firm up, but the batter on top is still shiny. Flip carefully, and cook until they are nicely browned and cooked in the middle. I put mine on a cooling rack as they come out of the pan. If they're stacked on a plate, they get soggy.

One came out slightly heart-shaped, very fitting as today is Valentine's Day. :)

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Reheat briefly in the microwave- about ten seconds per pancake works for me.

Enjoy!