Pumpkin Spice Pancakes

Who says that we have to wait for fall to enjoy pumpkin? Packed with vitamin A and found conveniently on your grocery store shelf, pumpkin is readily available year-round.

With 6.5 grams of effective carbohydrates in a half cup of pumpkin and 3.5 grams of fiber, it’s not only a great source of energy but also chock-full of vitamins and minerals, making it a staple in my house. I add it to everything from soups to oatmeal, and in this recipe I’m using it to make pancakes.

With a consistency similar to whipped butter, pumpkin is an excellent substitute for butter and oil in baking—without any loss of moisture. In this recipe I highlight the pumpkin by adding cinnamon and spices to enhance the flavor.

Pumpkin can be mild, so it’s a versatile vegetable, ready to accept any flavoring you might add, even chocolate. Give this recipe a go, and you may get inspired to use raw pumpkin to start creating recipes of your own.

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Pumpkin Spice Pancakes

1 1/2 cups oat flour

2 tablespoons sweetener—Splenda, Truvia or Ideal

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

4 egg whites

1/2 cup raw pumpkin

1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk, like Almond Breeze

Nonstick butter spray

 

Preheat the griddle to medium heat.

Mix the oat flour, sweetener, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg in a bowl.

Whisk the egg whites and pumpkin. Mix in the Almond Breeze.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix.

Spray the griddle with nonstick butter spray.

Scoop the batter with a 1/4-cup measuring cup, and drop onto the griddle. Cook 3-5 minutes per side.

Makes 10 pancakes.

Each pancake: calories, 64; fat, 1.3 grams; carbs, 9.5 grams; protein, 3.5 grams

—Jamie Eason