Blackberry Peach Crepes

I could eat breakfast all day, every day.

I always thought pancakes, crepes and other decadent delights were for people who had the luxury of time to spend hours preparing. Very happy to say that these are not only delicious, but super quick to whip up and pretty healthy as breakfasts go so they're guilt-free all the way around. Like most Italians, The Bear isn't a big breakfast eater - cappuccino and biscotti is his "sit-down" version of the first meal of the day - so I was super psyched to see him scraping the bowl before I even started cooking!

Blackberry Peach Crepes
makes six 6" crepes

1/2 cup soymilk
2/3 cup water
1/4 cup Earth Balance vegan butter, melted
1 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons water (to thin if needed)

Garnishes
a handful of fresh blackberries
one peach, sliced
powdered sugar

Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk until smooth and thin. If it gets clumpy or doesn't drip easily off the whisk, add a couple tablespoons of water. Transfer to a 2-cup measuring cup (for easy pouring) and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

While the batter is refrigerating, have some coffee and prepare your fillings.

Melt a small pat of vegan butter in a skillet on medium heat. Pour out a small amount of batter and either swirls the skillet to create a nice, thin, round layer or use the backside of a ladle to lightly spread it into a circle. They should be thin enough to cook through.

Flip carefully when the top is covered with bubbles and starts to look set. Cook until lightly browned on each side.

Top with berries and peaches (or any other fruit you happen to have around) and a sprinkling of powdered sugar and serve with fresh-squeezed OJ - a beautifully bright way to start your day!

Mixed Berry Pancakes

Not to be confused with Larry's Sunday Buckwheat Pancakes, these yummy little suckers have the berries built in! (there are actually two pancakes in this photo - in case anyone was wondering...)

Blueberry Corn Pancakes
Adapted from Veganomicon
makes 8-10 pancakes

3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons canola oil (I left it out for a lower-fat version and they were fine)
1-1/4 cup plain soy milk (I used vanilla - yum!)
1/3 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (optional - but only because I didn't have any!)

1 cup fresh berries (I used blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries)
canola (or some other light oil) cooking spray

Sift together flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Combine the wet ingredients in a separate bowl, add them to the dry until combined and fold in the berries.  A couple of lumps are fine. Overmixing yields tougher pancakes.

Preheat a non-stick pan on medium-high heat. Spray pan with cooking spray. Pour about 1/4 cup batter into the pan. Cook till bubbly and brown on bottom, about 4 minutes. Flip and cook until browned. Pancakes should be firm but not hard.

Top with fresh berries, bananas, powdered sugar, nuts or whatever your little hearts desire.

Larry's Sunday Buckwheat Pancakes

Yay! Mom is getting on board - look what SHE made me for breakfast yesterday!

She found this recipe in her new favorite book, Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease by Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn (yes! the same one from Forks Over Knives) and wouldn't you know: it's from Larry & Ann Wheat who own the famous vegan Millennium Restaurant in San Francisco.

I love how small the world can be.

Enjoy!

Larry's Sunday Buckwheat Pancakes
makes 12 medium pancakes

1/2 cup buckwheat flour
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 ripe banana
2 tablespoons vinegar
3 tablespoons maple syrup (optional)
2 cups oat, almond or non-fat soy milk

Mix buckwheat flour, outs, cornmeal, baking powder and baking soda in a bowl. Mash the banana in another bowl and add vinegar, maple syrup and milk. Stir and add to the flour mixture.

Heat a nonstick pan on medium high. When water sizzles on the pan, it's ready! Pour out the pancakes and cook until bubbles form. Flip and cook for a few minutes on the other side.

Enjoy them plain, with maple syrup or fruit.

Note: If you like thicker pancakes, use less milk.

Bonus: You can also make these into muffins! Just add raisins and bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Haven't tried this yet but if anyone does please let me know how they turn out!