Oat Pancakes with Muscovado Syrup

Ahhh, you can have pancakes in the morning and not feel guilty for eating carbs! These are 100 percent wholegrain and taste just as awesome as pancakes made from white flour.

Makes 6 to 8 large pancakes  Prep Time 10 minutes  Cooking Time 1 hour

For the muscovado syrup
2 cups muscovado sugar
2 cups water

For the pancakes
2 cups oat flour (see tip below)
2 tablespoons baking powder
big pinch of salt
1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon,
      nutmeg, ginger, or allspice (optional)
2 cups non-dairy milk, plus more as needed
      (soy, almond, cashew, rice)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus
      more for cooking (virgin coconut, coconut, canola)

For the filling and topping (optional)
1/2 to 3/4 cup dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, chopped mango,
      chopped pineapple, or chopped apricots)
1/2 to 1 cup fresh fruit (thinly sliced banana,
     thinly sliced apple, diced mango, or sliced berries)
1/2 to 3/4 cup chopped nuts
      (walnuts, almonds, pecans, pili, cashews)
1/2 to 3/4 cup chopped non-dairy chocolate
1/2 cup shredded coconut
6 tablespoons grated ginger

1  Make the muscovado syrup: In a saucepan, whisk together sugar and water. Heat mixture over medium heat until boiling; let cook until mixture reduces by half and thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. The syrup will thicken as it cools. Store in the refrigerator.

2  Make the pancakes: In a large bowl, whisk together oat flour, baking powder, salt, and spices, if using. Mix in milk and oil. Let sit for a few minutes to thicken.

3  Heat a lightly oiled nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Ladle about 1/4 cup of batter onto skillet. Sprinkle in a few of the optional additions and press lightly into the pancake. Cook for a few minutes until small bubbles start to form in the center and outer edge of the pancake. Check if bottom of the pancake is golden brown; flip over and cook the other side until golden brown.

4  Transfer pancake to a plate and repeat with the rest of the batter. If the batter thickens further, add a tablespoon of non-dairy milk to thin it out.

5  Garnish with fruit, nuts, and other toppings, if desired. Serve warm with muscovado syrup.

Flour tip: To make oat flour, blend quick-cooking or rolled oats in a blender or food processor until it becomes a coarse flour. Store in a jar.

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Photography by At Maculangan | Food Prep by Marie Gonzalez of Kitchen Revolution | Styling by Paulynn Chang Afable | Knife from Rustan's Department Store