Beet Pancakes

When my little ones started eating solid foods, they were fairly easy going on trying anything once.  Austin has continued with this, while Olivia only eats certain things.  No pasta, cheese, meat or anything resembling a mixture of foods.  She likes things plain and separated on her plate.  Peas, carrots, rice, all must be in their separate bowls or she won't touch it.  Thankfully she hasn't lost her appetite for carotenes.  Sweet potatoes, carrots and beets are always an easy sell so I have found many different ways to serve them.  When I came upon this recipe from weelicious.com I knew I had a winning breakfast meal.

Beets belong to the same family as chard and spinach.  Full of folic acid, fiber, manganese and potassium, they cleanse the liver and have been found to be a protective role against colon cancer (Murray, p. 165).  If you haven't ever been a fan of beets, try this recipe as you may be surprised at how good they can taste.

Here is what you will need:

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 medium beets, roasted & pureed (about 3/4 cups)
• 1 1/4 cup milk
• 1/3 cup plain greek yogurt
• 1 large egg
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (plus a little for the pan)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Sift the first 5 ingredients into a medium size bowl.  Mix the remaining ingredients into a small bowl until well combined.  Pour wet into dry and stir until incorporated.  Don't over mix or your pancakes will turn out flat (a few lumps are good).   Drop by the spoonful (2 tablespoons) into prepared pan and cook for 2 - 3 minutes on each side until browned.   Enjoy with maple syrup, fruit or applebutter as a low sugar choice.  

Murray, Michael. The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods. New York. Atria. 2005.