CheekyChicago

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. I wake, I pour that first decadent cup of coffee and I marvel at the quiet of the city, the lean buildings shadowed by impending sunlight and the soft thrum of taxi engines roving by. And while I usually eat oatmeal loaded with goodies, sometimes (okay, most of the time) I want pancakes.

I have experimented with all types of pancake recipes and have yet to find a healthy, gluten-free, vegan variety that doesn’t taste exactly like kindergarten paste. Sure, you can use regular flours and make fluffy, delicious pancakes, but what if you want something slightly healthier, full of fiber, antioxidants and a dose of complex carbs and healthy fats? Look no further. These gluten-free, vegan, chocolate chip, blueberry pancakes put a smile on my face each time I make them.

They are easy to digest and will leave your body with plenty of energy for your day. Buckwheat flour is both gluten-free and wheat-free and sports 6 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein per quarter cup. Enjoy!

Vegan Chocolate Chip Blueberry Pancakes

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

1 cup vanilla soymilk

1 cup buckwheat flour (or oat flour)

1 tbsp. organic sugar (optional)

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1 tbsp. cinnamon

2 heaping tbsp. carob powder

2 tbsp. vegetable oil (or 1/2 mashed banana or applesauce)

1 flax egg, made of 2 1/2 tbsp. ground flax mixed with 3 tbsp. water

1/3 cup walnuts

1/3 cup blueberries

1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips

1. Combine apple cider vinegar and soy milk and let curdle like buttermilk.

2. Add the oil and the flax egg to the buttermilk mixture and whisk together until smooth.

3. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, soda, cinnamon and carob. Create a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the wet ingredients. Stir.

4. Fold in the blueberries, walnuts and chocolate. Mix until there are very few lumps.

5. Heat a skillet over medium high (sprayed with nonstick spray or rubbed lightly with coconut oil). Drop about 1/3 of the batter onto the skillet and cook until edges begin to lift and the uncooked side is bubbly. Flip and cook for an additional couple of minutes.

6. Serve with agave nectar and more fresh berries!

Want more delicious healthy recipes? Please click here. How about some fun relationship tips?  Click here.

To read more about Rea Frey and why she is so Cheeky, please click here.