I’ve done it. Thick, fluffy and light as air pancakes without any eggs or dairy. For my vegan friends and those who are allergic to eggs, this is great for you! I made these on Sunday morning, and although hesitant at first, my husband tried them and loved them! (recipes below)
Although I do eat eggs (local, free-range, organic), I love to eat a variety of different foods, and I gotta say, these tasted pretty awesome. So, what’s the secret? Well, I’ve sort of mentioned it a few times previously, but have I told you about chia seeds?? These are becoming an *almost* obsession of mine recently, because I can’t believe how amazing these little seeds are. Not only are they a superfood rich in essential omega-3 fatty acids, fibres and a gentle detox, but they are unbelievable as an egg replacement. A whole food egg replacement, not like those fake egg substitutes that contain chemicals and that are anything but healthy. I go for real, whole food instead.
Top 10 reasons to add chia seeds to your diet:
Combat Diabetes
Chia is being studied as a potential natural treatment for type-2 diabetes because of its ability to slow down digestion. The gelatinous coating chia seeds develops when exposed to liquids-can also prevent blood sugar spikes.
Get More Fibre
Just a 28-gram or one-ounce serving of chia has 11 grams of dietary fibre — about a third of the recommended daily intake for adults. Adding some chia to your diet is an easy way to make sure you’re getting a good amount of fibre, which is important for digestive health.
Stock Up On Omega-3
Chia seeds are packed with omega-3 fatty acids, with nearly five grams in a one-ounce serving. These fats are important for brain health. “There’s better conversion of omega 3s into the plasma or into the food than with flax seed,” said researcher Wayne Coates.
Stronger Teeth And Bones
A serving of chia seeds has 18 per cent of the recommended daily intake for calcium, which puts your well on your way to maintaining bone and oral health, and preventing osteoporosis.
Don’t Forget Manganese
Manganese isn’t a well-known nutrient, but it’s important for our health: it’s good for your bones and helps your body use other essential nutrients like biotin and thiamin. One serving of chia seeds, or 28 grams, has 30 per cent of your recommended intake of this mineral.
Plenty Of Phosphorus
With 27 per cent of your daily value for phosphorus, chia seeds also helps you maintain healthy bones and teeth. Phosphorus is also used by the body to synthesize protein for cell and tissue growth and repair.
Pack In The Protein
Chia seeds also make a great source of protein for vegetarians and don’t have any cholesterol. One 28-gram serving of these super seeds has 4.4 grams of protein, nearly 10 per cent of the daily value.
Fight Belly Fat
Chia’s stabilizing effect on blood sugar also fights insulin resistance which can be tied to an increase in belly fat, according to Live Strong. This type of resistance can also be harmful for your overall health.
Get Full. Faster
Tryptophan, an amino acid found in turkey, is also found in chia seeds. While tryptophan is responsible for that strong urge to nap after a big Thanksgiving dinner for example, it also helps regulate appetite, sleep and improve mood.
Improve Heart Health
According to the Cleveland Clinic, chia seeds have been shown to improve blood pressure in diabetics, and may also increase healthy cholesterol while lowering total, LDL, and triglyceride cholesterol. All good news for your ticker!
(source: www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/06/03/chia-seed-benefits-_n_3379831.html)
And now for the recipes! Healthy whole food egg replacement. Super easy.
Healthy egg replacement
- 1 Tbsp organic whole chia seeds
- 1/4 cup warm spring or filtered water
Simply put the chia seeds in a small bowl, add the warm water on top, mix, and wait for 8-10 minutes. Voila! You’ve got yourself the equivalent of 1 large egg to use in pretty much any baking. It’ll look very thick, but once mixed with liquid, it’ll separate and mix well.
So, now onto the main course. haha My awesome vegan pancake recipe is pretty simple, it’s almost like my regular recipe, except I switched the egg for chia seeds and I added extra liquid! 🙂
Vegan pancakes (2-3 servings, can be doubled or tripled)
- 1 cup organic flours (I used 1/2 cup whole-wheat pastry, 1/4 cup rye and 1/4 cup chickpea) (Whole-wheat pastry flour is made with soft wheat and is a low-gluten grain, same thing for rye, however they do contain some gluten, so if you have Celiac disease, you can easily switch these 2 with buckwheat and brown rice. Chickpea flour is gluten-free)
- 1 1/2 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
- 1/4 tsp unrefined grey sea salt
- 1 organic chia seed “egg” replacement (see recipe above)
- 1 1/2 cup organic rice & hazelnut milk (or cashew milk, or almond milk)
- 1/2 tsp organic vanilla extract (the real stuff, not a synthetic extract)
- High quality extra-virgin cold pressed organic cooking olive oil
Put a large pan to heat over medium heat. In a medium size bowl, whisk all the dry ingredients. In a smaller bowl, whisk all the wet ingredients, including the chia seed mixture previously done. Mix the wet mixture into the dry mixture bowl; don’t overmix. If it’s too thick, you can add a bit more rice milk.
Once the pan is hot, reduce the temperature just under medium, add some olive oil, and drop the pancakes using the 1/4 cup measurement cup. It makes it easier to pour and you can control a fairly equal sizing of each pancake, and that will most likely allow you to fit 2-3 pancakes at the same time in the pan. Once you see the top bubbling and the edges are roasted, flip over using a spatula. It shouldn’t take very long, 2-3 minutes for the first side and 1 minute for the other side (it always cooks faster). Put on a warm plate (keep it close to the pan, it should stay warm), and continue until you have no more batter left. Make sure you scrape the bowl! 😉
Serve as soon as you’re done, with fresh fruits, maple syrup and/or a delicious spoonful of yummy homemade strawberry and rhubarb preserves!
Bon appétit!
ECP
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