Gluten-Free Strawberry Pancake Sunday and Cleaning Out My Pantry

Gluten-free strawberry pancakes! Woo-hoo! 

Are you a person who has difficulty managing your pantry? By managing, I am referring to purchasing the latest vegan food items that come out on the market.

I get very excited about vegan food becoming mainstream, and when I see a food item labeled vegan, I cannot help myself. The result: the food item ends up living in my pantry.

If any of the above resinates with you, there is help.

What helps me in this regard? I try to stay away from the allure that is: "I must have it!" - by slowly working my way through my pantry items - and using them first prior to getting new food. What a concept!

Today I found a bag of Bob's Red Mill gluten-free biscuit and baking mix buried underneath the legume and grain section of my pantry. Yup, there are sections…for everything. I am not even gluten-free, so what the meow?

Pick ME!!!

I also had some frozen strawberries waiting to get noticed, and here we are.

Cheers!

Gluten-Free Strawberry Pancakes 

Ingredients 
1 cup gluten-free biscuit and baking mix
*Any gluten-free flour mix should do the trick if you don't have this brand on hand. Let me know how it goes.*
1 teaspoon baking powder
Dash of salt (About 1/4 of a teaspoon, if not less.)
Up to 2.5 cups of unsweetened plant milk of choice (I used soy milk.)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup (Raw cane sugar may be substituted.)
1/2 tablespoon almond extract (Any flavor will do! I ran out of vanilla.)
3/4 cup frozen strawberries, defrosted and chopped (Use whatever fresh or frozen fruit you have.)

Non-stick cooking spray or vegetable oil for frying.

I sprinkled mine with organic powdered sugar. 

Directions 
Preheat a large non-stick pan with about 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil or coat it with non-stick cooking spray, over a medium heat. Make the pancake batter.

In a large bowl, combine the gluten-free mix with salt and baking powder. Gradually add milk and mix well using a whisk until the batter is smooth, and creamy. The batter consistency should be that of a pudding. You may not need to add all the milk. Few lumps are ok!

*If you are using other gluten-free flour mix than the one mentioned, the ratio of milk to flour may be different. Keep mixing and add the plant milk gradually until you get the desired consistency. Don't worry about perfection. 

Now add the maple syrup, almond extract and strawberries, and combine well.

Use about less than 1/4 of a cup of batter for each pancake and flatten it with a spatula or the cup measurement as you pour it. Do not crowd the pan, fry about 4 pancakes at a time. Fry them for about 5-6 minutes on each side on medium-low heat. You will know when the pancake is ready to be flipped when it pulls away from the pan, and does not fall apart on you.

The gluten-free batter was a bit tricky for me, and I have learned to work with it with each pancake I fried. I've learned that in order for the pancakes to cook thoroughly, the flattening trick was the key. I also allowed ample time for each pancake to cook on each side before flipping. Otherwise, I found the pancakes would fall apart on me.

Serve with maple syrup, fruit preserves, or anything your mind's eye desires.

EAT!