Homemade Magic Beet Pancakes

I’ve been wanting to create different flavors of pancakes for little J & A.  This time, I wanted to add some beet roots.  However, if little J & A see clumps of vegetables in the pancake batter, they might not eat the pancakes.  They don’t mind fruits, but vegetables?  So, I decided to  juice the  beet roots and use its own juice as substitute for the liquid in my recipe.  And what better way to add a beautiful color to the pancakes than beet juice?  Although beet juice has deep purplish color tone, it still made the children think they were eating red velvet pancakes.

These pancakes came out so fluffy, moist, and flavorful, especially when they’re drizzled with maple syrup.  I wouldn’t recommend blueberry syrup or other fruit flavor syrup on these cuties.  The flavor would clash since these pancakes were made with beet juice and quinoa.  They both have pungent flavors.  The best syrup to complement these mini pancakes is definitely maple syrup.   Yes, I tried the maple syrup and it was very delicious, especially if you put butter on the pancakes.   Little A and J  both asked for more.  🙂

What makes these little cuties magic?   The color changed.  Beet juice reacts to non-acidic cake ingredients like baking soda and turns brown.  I’ve read that if you want to maintain the color, you have to add vinegar in the mixture because of the acid in vinegar, but I didn’t want to add vinegar in the batter.  This may sound unappetizing, but the pancakes do have substantial amount of nutrients in them and this recipe  produces fluffy and moist pancakes as long as you don’t overcook them.  According to WebMD,  beet roots are rich in folate, potassium, vitamin C, fiber, antioxidants, and nitrates.  It also improves blood flow in the brain which enhance performance.  Studies showed that blood flow to the brain improved in healthy elderly people, as measured by MRI.

These pancakes are best to consume as soon as you remove them from the skillet or griddle.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2  cup unbromated, unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup quinoa flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 6 oz. vanilla yogurt
• 1/2 cup fresh beet juice (about 5 medium beets)
• 1 cup well-shaken low-fat buttermilk
• 2 eggs

Directions:

Juice the beet roots (I was juicing some carrots too that day but did not include it in the recipe because little A is allergic to carrots))

Mix wet and dry ingredients

Scoop a tablespoon or two in the skillet and cook until bubbles form. Turn to the other side and cook until brown.

I added some of the beet flesh on top of the pancakes while cooking before flipping it. It’s an option and it’s entirely up to you if you want to add or not.

Look at those moist beet pancakes!

Homemade beet pancakes dab with butter and drizzled with maple syrup.

1. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
2. In a large separate bowl, lightly scramble the eggs.
3. Add the yogurt, buttermilk, and beet juice. Whisk until well combined.
4. Add the flour mixture and mix well.
5. Heat skillet over low heat or electric griddle and lightly coat with oil when hot.  Scoop about less than 1/4 cup of the pancake batter into the skillet for larger pancakes and about 2 tablespoons batter for mini pancakes.  Cook until bubbles form and the bottom of pancakes turn brown.  Turn on the other side and cook until brown.

Enjoy them with Maple syrup.  How’s that for easy!

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~Anna B.

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