Pumpkin & Apple Pancakes (with a Side of Green Juice)

Pancakes and juice rank #1 among breakfast fare in our house. This morning these two recipes went over quite well with everyone. Note: You can freeze the leftover pancakes and have one or two more breakfasts in the future. To reheat, you can toast them and then microwave as needed. Great time saver on busy mornings.

Whole Wheat Pumpkin and Apple Pancakes

Makes: 15 pancakes

1 C. whole wheat flour
1/2 C. cake flour
1 t. baking soda
2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1 t. ground cinnamon
1 t. ground nutmeg
1 C. buttermilk (I used 1 c milk and 1 ½ tsp vinegar)
1 grated apple (including the skin)
1 C. canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie puree (or sweet potato puree)
2 eggs*
2 T. oil
1 t. vanilla
3 T honey

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the first eight ingredients (whole wheat flour through nutmeg). In a separate bowl, whisk together the last seven ingredients (buttermilk through honey).

2. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and blend together with a wooden spoon until just combined. Lumps are ok, just make sure all the flour on the bottom of the bowl is mixed in. If batter seems too thick to pour, you can gently stir in a little more buttermilk.

3. Drop pancakes by ladleful onto a medium griddle. Pancakes are ready to turn when the edges start to look a little dry and you can see small bubbles forming on the surface.

*If you want fluffier pancakes you can separate out the egg whites, beat them until they form stiff peaks, and fold them gently into the batter at the very end. I didn’t have time to do this, but they were still good.

Green Juice

Throw all of this into a juicer. Make sure to wash your produce well first. I love knowing that we've all drank this much produce before 9 a.m. It's easy and tasty! Makes enough for 2 adults and 2 kids.

5 apples
5 carrots
5 kale leaves
2 c spinach
1/2 lemon