Pink Pancakes

Thanksgiving Day is upon us. Just a few short hours away. There is much to be done in preparation of turkey day and if you are like me there is a trip to the grocery store in your immediate future. Well, while you are there, pick yourself up some beets so you can make these yummy Pink Pancakes. If you are even more like me, make a batch or two on Black Friday while you decorate for your home with holiday cheer and spend happy times with your family while the more “adventurous” crew is out shopping till they drop. I know there are some good deals to be had on Black Friday but me, I am a Cyber Monday kinda chick. I haven’t met a deal yet that makes me want to camp in front of a store just to be trampled, kicked, cursed at, and evil eyed by people I have never met before. And how about the cart running over the back of your heels? Oh yes, that is the best by far. However, I do enjoy watching the festivities on the evening news, that is some good entertainment.

I have made these pancakes on several occasions. Even though these pancakes have some healthy ingredients in them, they are super kid friendly and they are as the name suggests, pink. I love pink and I love these pancakes. If you cannot tell, Gingy also loves them.

Don’t let the fact that you need beet puree put you off. Making the puree is simple, for reals. If it was anything too involved, I would not do it. You do want to make the puree in advance and hey, your oven will already be on roasting your turkey! Now, if you still are not convinced, buy a jar of baby food. That’s right people, a couple jars of good organic baby food is about as easy as it gets. If they don’t have beets, get prunes. Pick your poison.

Blend together the water, beet puree, Greek yogurt, egg, cinnamon and vanilla in a blender until nice and smooth, like this. You can do this with a mixer or a whisk if you prefer. Pour the mixture into a large bowl.

Grate your apple and add it to the beet mixture.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flours, sugar, flax seed, baking powder and salt. Add to the beet mixture.

Stir just until combined, it will be a little lumpy. Don’t overmix or your fluffy pink pancakes will be flat pink hockey pucks.

Ladle them onto a hot griddle or skillet greased with a little oil and cook until they look like this. I like them a little golden brown and crispy on the edges. Since the batter is a little on the thick side, try not to make these too big or they will take forever to cook and can get a little doughy in the center.

Drizzle with real maple syrup and sprinkle with a little powdered sugar and serve them up. These are just too cute and they really are good for you, win-win!

Adapted from Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld

Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 18 min
Yield: 4 to 6
Difficulty: easy

Ingredients:

1/2 cup beet puree
1 cup water
1/2 cup plain greek yogurt, (I used Fage 2%)
1 egg or Ener-G egg replacer equal to 1 egg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup grated apple
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablspoon flax seed
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

For the beet puree: Wash 2 to 3 beets and pat dry. Wrap them loosely in aluminum foil and roast in the oven with the temperature set anywhere between 375° and 425°. Cook until tender, between 30 minutes to 1 hour depending on the size of the beets and your oven temperature. When the beets are done cooking, let them cool until they are easy to handle. I use a paper towel to grab the skin and peel it right off. Blend the beets in a food processor with a tablespoon or two of water until they are completely smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use. You can store in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for about 3 months.
In a blender or food processor, mix the water, beet puree, Greek yogurt, egg or egg replacer, cinnamon and vanilla until smooth. Pour into a large bowl.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flours, sugar, flax seed, baking powder and salt until combined.
Add the grated apple and the flour mixture to the beet mixture and gently stir until just combined, the batter will be lumpy. Do not overmix.
Heat a griddle or skillet on medium heat. Ladle the batter onto the griddle and cook until bubbles form on top of the pancakes, about 5 minutes. Flip the pancakes and cook until golden brown and cooked in the center, 3-4 minutes.
Top with maple syrup and a sprinkle of powdered sugar.