Morning Glory Buckwheat Pancakes with Blueberries

This very well could be the recipe I make most in my kitchen.  I will admit that it feels extra personal and I even feel a little shy about sharing it.  Almost like lending out your favorite pair of boots.  You love them because they fit you just right.  You've worn them in over time.  These pancakes are a part of regular life in the Burke home.  I mean, the kids eat them about every other day and have for the entirety of their lives.  The recipe has evolved with my continuing education about how nutrition effects us (we need protein in the morning), what we like (we like maple syrup and things off the skillet) and what we will actually eat.  You may need to break this recipe in a little, like I have.  But, I promise you it is very forgiving, flexible, incredibly healthy and delicious!  These are not the kind of pancakes that you tire of after a few bites and are then hungry for a more substantial meal 30 minutes later.

Do not be intimidated by the long list of ingredients.    If you are just trying out the recipe, go to the bulk section of the grocery store and only get what you need to save money.  When you decide you do want to add this recipe to your routine, that is when you stock up.  I find everything I need at Central Market in Shoreline (including Skagit Valley blueberries) and Trader Joes.

One more thing, it's blueberry season!  This is my favorite time of year and my favorite seasonal crop of the year that I just wait and wait for.  I grew up literally surrounded by blueberry bushes on a berry farm.  Blueberries take me back to the days when my wardrobe consisted of a rarely dry swimsuit and my mind was mostly concerned with finding the biggest blueberry and eating it still warm from the sun while running through irrigation sprinklers with my sisters.  I still prefer to eat dirty blueberries by the handful but tossing a few into these pancakes is good too.

Morning Glory Buckwheat Pancakes with Blueberries

3/4 cups cottage cheese
2 large eggs
1 cup milk of your choice. I use coconut milk.
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup yogurt
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 teaspoons roasted whole flax seeds
2 tablespoons raw sunflower seeds
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice (optional)
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves (optional)

1/2 cup buckwheat flour
1/2 cup flour of your choice. I use whole wheat spelt.
2 tablespoons almond meal
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

butter
pure maple syrup
fresh blueberries (optional) or jam in the off season)

Mix together the first 12 ingredients listed.  Preheat your skillet on medium high heat.  I prefer to use cast iron.  In a separate bowl mix together the next five ingredients. Combine the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix only until combined.  Butter your skillet and with your 1/4 cup measuring scoop measure out your pancakes.  Once on the skillet you can place the blueberries in the pancake.  Wait for bubbles to appear and then flip and wait about 2 more minutes but depending on how hot your skillet is you may need to wait longer.  Generously butter the pancakes and serve with maple syrup and more fresh blueberries on top.

This recipe makes about 12 pancakes using the 1/4 cup scoop.

Note: When I write out my recipes I'm not going to say "all organic non-GMO" before each ingredient but that is what I think should be used when possible. In this recipe I changed the vegetable oil to melted butter because I keep learning. My naturopath says this: vegetable oil (aka soybean oil) is about as bad as it gets. Use grapeseed oil, coconut oil, butter, safflower or sunflower oil (all organic non-GMO). Canola is a no go...olive oil goes rancid too easily when cooked. Olive oil is great for making salad dressings!