Lemon "Poppy Seed" Pancake

Hi there, pancake lovers. So this post is a bit of a cheat; there are no vegetables in this pancake. I know, I know. But trust me, you'll thank me after you try these.

This pancake follows the same base recipe as my other heath-ful pancakes recipes (Green Monstah and Butternut Pecan Pancakes). Oats, quinoa, almond milk, banana, egg, and some sort of flavor enhancer. This time, it is a massive hit of tart lemon. For the "poppy seed", I use chia seeds, which add a nice boost of Omega 3's. These, as are most of my oat/quinoa based pancakes, are highly customizable. Try using poppy seeds, chia seed, broken up fresh raspberry (my son's personal favorite), or blueberries.

Step 1: Gather all ingredients. Add to the blender, in any order, 1 cup almond milk, 1 cup whole rolled oats (or gluten-free oats if dealing with sensitivities), 1/4 cup quinoa, 1 banana, 1 heaping tablespoon Greek yogurt (optional), 1 egg (or two egg whites), 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and one tablespoon stevia or sweetener of choice.

Note: If using honey, add about 2 tablespoons. All of the lemon you're about to add needs to be sweetened up a bit.

Step 2: Zest your lemons. See video below for the proper way to zest. Add in the zest of two large lemons (or 3 small) and the juice of  1 lemon and 1/2. If you're like me, and you really like to go for it with flavor, add in all of the zest and juice.

Step 3: Blend until ultra smooth. Pour on griddle, add on any toppings (including a sprinkle of chia seeds), and do the normal pancake thing (make sure it's nice and hot, don't flip to early, and be patient).

Tip: If you do not have a high-powered blender (vitamix, blendtech), then add the quinoa to your blender first and blend on high until it is a fine flour, then add in the remainder of your ingredients.

Lemon "Poppy Seed" Pancakes

Serves 4-6 

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

1 cup whole rolled oats

1/4 cup raw, white quinoa

1 egg (or 2 egg whites)

1 banana

1 heaping tablespoon plain Greek yogurt (optional)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Pinch of salt

1 tablespoon stevia (or other sweetener of choice; if using honey use at least 2 tablespoons)
Zest from 2-3 lemons
Juice from 1 1/2 - 2 lemons
1-2 tablespoons chia seeds (for sprinkling as the "poppy seeds" - optional)

1. Add all of the ingredients to your favorite high-powered blender and blend on high until smooth (until no quinoa pearls are visible, about 1 minute).  

2. Pour onto hot griddle, and add on a small sprinkle of chia seed (or other desired topping). Cook as a normal pancake, top with extra lemon zest, and pure maple syrup (or fresh berries and cream). Enjoy.