A Typical Wednesday Night

I had every intention of making a delicious lemony green bean risotto today for dinner, but my plan was thwarted when Safeway was completely out of arborio rice (or "weird rice", as K calls it). So, I went home and did what any self-respecting 27 year old would do: I made pancakes. 

Sometimes dinner is just too much work and pancakes at 7pm sound like an infinitely better option, ya know? Especially when they're giant, fluffy pancakes with a big fistful of chocolate chips and plenty of maple syrup and butter. MM. I like to sweeten the batter with maple syrup instead of sugar, which locks in that rich sweetness, and I use coconut oil to make these babies smell even more heavenly that regular pancakes. Perfect for any time of the day or night!

Vegan Pancakes

Adapted from About Food

Makes six 3-inch pancakes pancakes

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons baking powder

a pinch of salt 

1 cup almond milk (or soy, coconut, etc)

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons coconut oil, plus extra to coat your pan

1/3 cup chocolate chips

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a smaller bowl, whisk the almond milk, maple syrup, and coconut oil until it starts to get a little frothy around the edges. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ones and stir until everything is evenly incorporated. If you're in an indulgent mood, this is where you'll add the chocolate chips. Your batter should be smooth and thick, almost like a brownie batter.

All you need!

Grab a non-stick pan, set it on a burner over medium heat, and pour in a little bit of coconut oil. Let this heat up for 20 seconds or so, then carefully pour 1/4 cup of the batter into the pan. Tilt the pan around to help the batter spread, then cook until you see little bubbles start to form on top.

My bubbles my bubbles!

Flip! If you're fancy you can fling your pancake up in the air. I'm uncoordinated and wary of accidentally destroying perfectly good food/my kitchen, so I use a spatula like a peasant. Toast your pancake until it's nice and golden brown on both sides. Serve with maple syrup, apple butter, cranberry sauce, or any other toppings your heart desires!