Healthy Pancakes Fermented with Kefir

Originally posted on 9 March 2017

I love pancakes. I love maple syrup. I love the excitement of an extra-special breakfast. But you know what I don't love? The way I feel after the pancake breakfast. It's never good. And I'm pretty sure you know exactly the feeling I'm talking about. 

Now, I'm not going to lie to you and say that these pancakes are so healthy you could eat them for every meal and feel amazing. Only a rift in the space-time continuum could create an alternate reality that amazing. "Healthy pancakes" are healthier than regular pancakes; they are not nutritionally comparable to vegetables. But here's the deal: when grains are fermented they become much easier for our bodies to digest and absorb nutrients from. Fermentation begins the process of digestion before the pancake even hits your tongue, eliminating anti-nutrients, breaking down carbohydrates, and making their nutrients (all those good vitamins & minerals that make healthy bodies!) more available for your body to absorb.

For more information on why fermenting your grains (and a host of other practices) is totally rad, and a simple way to eat well without sacrificing delicious stuff like pancakes, I highly recommend Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon. It's basically the nutrition bible for anyone who puts stock in the wisdom of traditional cultures.

These pancakes are fermented with kefir or buttermilk (in a pinch you could also use a live cultured yogurt, thinned with water). The finished cakes have a pleasant tang, and a much more complex and delightful flavor than your garden variety pancakes. 

fermented whole wheat griddle cakes

2 cups whole wheat flour

2 cups live cultured kefir or buttermilk

2 eggs, beaten

2 Tbsp butter, melted

¼ tsp sea salt

1 Tbsp baking powder

1. Combine flour & kefir or buttermilk. Mix until thoroughly combined, cover with a towel and leave in a warm place for 24 hours.

2. Add eggs and butter, combine with a few swift stirs. Thin with water, if necessary, to achieve an appropriate texture.

3. Sift in salt & baking powder while stirring. Mix just enough to combine thoroughly.

4. Allow batter to rest for 10 min. 

5. Spoon batter onto a hot, buttered cast iron. Cook over medium heat until edges of each pancake begin to look dry. Flip and cook until golden.

Day 1

Day 2

ENJOY!

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