Lemony Soy-Corn Pancakes

I make pancakes very, very often because they are a favorite breakfast food of Desi's and also of my doggies who cannot get enough of the under-the-table handouts he sneaks out to them. I think it's quite flattering - and promising- that these canines love pancakes that have no animal products in them whatsoever.

To keep my pancakes healthy and to make them more interesting, I often tweak my basic recipe, sometimes to incorporate different healthy flours, and sometimes with additions like bananas or blueberries.

This past weekend, I decided to haul out a bag of soy flour that had been sitting in my pantry for longer than I care to admit. While at it, I looked around for what else I might have that might make for an interesting and nutritious pancake.

Let me confess: when it comes to cooking, I am not the ultimate perfectionist who runs to the grocery store for that last, tiny, perfect ingredient. Instead, I am more of a let's-experiment-with-what-I've-got-on-hand kind of a gal. And when I found some frozen corn and some very nice wholegrain corn flour (not corn meal- the corn flour is finer) I knew I had the beginnings of a very fine breakfast.

I also had in my pantry some lemon extract that I'd picked up on sale with no idea what to do with it, and I decided to use it to flavor my pancakes, instead of vanilla which I'd have normally used.

My Lemony Soy-Corn Pancakes surpassed my expectations. They were delicious and the lemony fragrance and kernels of whole corn made for a delightful surprise in every bite.

This is one recipe that I know is going to be a hot breakfast favorite at our home. What's more, it even passed the doggie test!

Lemony Soy-Corn Pancakes

Dry ingredients:

Mix together:

1/2 cup soy flour

1/2 cup wholegrain cornflour

1/2 cup whole-wheat pastry flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

3 tbsp sugar (I use turbinado but regular or vegan sugar is fine)

1/4 tsp salt (optional)

Wet ingredients:

Mix together well:

1 1/3 cup almond milk (can substitute with soy)

1 tbsp ground flaxseed mixed well with 6 tbsp water

2 tsp lemon extract
3 tbsp canola oil

1/2 cup frozen corn kernels (leave them out at room temperature for around five minutes before adding)

Make a well in the bowl of dry ingredients and pour in the almond-milk-flaxseed mixture. Mix with just a few strokes until the wet ingredients are just moistened. The batter should be lumpy.

On a very hot iron skillet, spray some oil or smear a light film.

Pour 1/4 cup of the batter on the skillet. It will spread into a round. If it needs some help spreading, just nudge it slightly with the bottom of the cup.

Cook until bubbles appear in the center and the sides are slightly dry. Lift a corner gently with a spatula and if the pancake is golden-brown underneath, flip over and cook the other side for another minute or so.

This batter is thick, so remember to cook both sides thoroughly so that you are not surprised by raw batter smack in the middle of your pancake as you're eating it. If you are not sure, you can poke the underside of the pancake with a fork while it is still on the skillet. If batter runs out, you need a few more seconds of cooking.

Enjoy with warm maple syrup or any topping of your choice. Tip: Blueberries go great with the lemony tang of these pancakes.
I'd like to send this on to Sia of that lovely blog Monsoon Spice who is showcasing soy at JFI this month. JFI, or Jihva for Ingredients, was started by Indira of Mahanandi.

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Yikes! There's a critter behind the curtain!