quinoa pancakes with caramelized apples + hazelnuts // gluten-free

For my first recipe of 2013, I hope you weren't expecting a salad or a smoothie. 

Now is probably a good time to tell you that I don't really do resolutions. Not to discourage the cleansers and the dieters - I'm proud of you, yay! - but I do believe that we should be making good decisions to eat healthier all year round, not just in January. 

I do feel it is important to take the time to reflect on the past year and think about what was good and what was maybe not so good and make slight life adjustments accordingly.

If I ate too many pieces of pie last year, maybe I try to not eat so much pie this year. 

If I didn't eat enough kale last year (not really possible), maybe I try to eat more kale this year. 

If I drank one too many glasses of champagne at a christmas party (that may have happened), maybe I try to drink one less next time. 

Cutting things out of your life that you enjoy are only going to make you want them twice as much, at least that is what happens to me. So, I prefer to make little changes in order to create more balance. 

Balance. 

That's what it is all about, isn't it?

Okay, onto pancakes. 

I've been on a bit of a pancake kick lately. More than normal. 

I guess I was feeling like I needed some more pancakes in my life ... you know, to balance things out. 

I made these pancakes with a mixture of quinoa flour and white rice flour, which turned out to be a pretty nice gluten-free blend. The only thing I would mention is that they do have a strong quinoa flavor .... so if you you want more of a subtle quinoa taste, feel free to lessen the ratio of quinoa flour. Say more like 3/4 cups of white rice flour and 1/4 cup of quinoa flour. 

If you did make resolutions, I hope that they are ones that you will benefit from all year and bring balance (and maybe some extra pancakes) to your life. 

quinoa pancakes with caramelized apples + hazelnuts 

makes
about 8 pancakes

ingredients

dry ingredients:
1/2 cup of quinoa flour
1/2 cup of white rice flour
2 tablespoons of coconut palm or white sugar
2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon 

wet ingredients:
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup of vegetable or canola oil
3/4 cup of almond milk
2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar

a couple of tablespoons of canola oil

for the apples + hazelnuts:
1 apple, cored, and thinly sliced
1/4 cup of toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
a pinch of cinnamon
a pinch of nutmeg

some optional toppings: a drizzle of maple syrup, a dusting of cinnamon, powdered sugar, honey, butter or earth balance spread. 

method 

• Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. 
• In a smaller bowl, lightly beat the egg and then add the rest of the wet ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stir to combine and set aside for 10-20 minutes. 
• While the ingredients are setting, caramelize the apples. In a small pan over medium heat add the olive oil and the apples. Sauté the apples until they are soft and caramelized. When they start to brown, add the hazelnuts, cinnamon and nutmeg. Cook for another 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm. 
• In a large cast iron or stainless steel pan heat a tablespoon of canola oil over medium heat. The heat of the pan is important to achieving a good crust on the pancake, so make sure you pan heats for a minimum of 5 minutes before adding the batter. 
• Using a 1/4 cup, scoop out the batter onto the pan. Do not crowd the pan. I usually only do about two at a time. 
• Cook the pancakes for about 3-4 minutes. You will start to see little bubbles and that is how you know it is ready to  flip. You can also take a peak and make sure they are a nice golden brown before flipping. Then cook for another 1-2 minutes on the other side. Repeat until the batter is finished. 
• To keep the cooked pancakes warm while you finish the batch you can simply cover the plate with foil, or place the cooked pancakes in the oven at 200º in an over safe dish. 
• Serve warm with the apples and hazelnuts on top. Finish with a drizzle of maple syrup or any other topping that you like.