Christmas Pancakes...with Spinach Trees!

I'm going to ask you to suspend your disbelief.

There is spinach in these Holiday Pancakes. Real, raw, beautiful spinach.

But as far as you're concerned, there are actual miniature Christmas trees in these pancakes.

The pancakes are having their own Christmas party. you know what we do when we don't get invited to pancake parties? We eat the partiers.

There is no spinach taste. There is only holiday cheer and a bit of healthy.

Even the spinach texture gets lost.

So, ask not if you will be able to handle something as strange-sounding as spinach in your pancakes. You will. Rather, ask how you will get your children/suspicious boyfriend/picky husband/fussy mother to believe you.

You can think while you cook, just hurry up—Christmas is coming!



Healthy Holiday Pancakes . . . with Spinach!

Dry Ingredients
  • 3/4 cup white unbleached flour
  • 3/4 cup whole wheat flour (or any flour, really)
  • 1 1/2 cup oats, ground to "flour" in food processor* or oat flour
  • 1 tbs sugar or coconut sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon—save plastic, buy it in bulk!
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 2-4 large spinach leaves

  • Wet Ingredients
  • 2 cups milk 
  • 1/2 cup sour cream or tart plain yogurt
  • 2 pasture-raised eggs
  • 2 1/2 tbs EVOO, nut oil, or vegetable oil
  • 2 tbs honey, coconut nectar, or date syrup
  • 1/2 tsp Peppermint Extract (or 3-6 drops peppermint oil)**
  • *If you don't have oats or just don't feel like using them (but they're so healthy!), substitute with flour, but start off with 1 1/2 cups of milk instead of two and add more as necessary to reach desired batter consistency.
    **Peppermint in pancakes may sound strange, but it really helps to give these a Christmas-y thang. If your're still nervous, wait and add a couple drops to the last of the batch (reduce amount proportionately).
    Directions
    Whisk dry ingredients (minus the spinach) together in one bowl, whisk wet in a different bowl. The honey will be annoying, but don't fret. It'll all work out in the end.

    Make a well in the dry mixture and slowly pour in the wet while whisking to combine. Don't overmix. It's fine if there are still small clumps.

    Let sit for 10 minutes

    Meanwhile, cut your Christmas trees! Using a sharp knife, trace the outline of a tree as though you're popping the shape out of a mold, or take the more meticulous route of cutting strips of spinach and piecing the tree's outline together (you might want to have tweezers handy to help you get the pieces into place).

    When ready, preheat a nonstick pan to medium heat. Add just enough butter or oil to form a minuscule layer on the pan. Pour about 1/3 cup of batter onto the pan and after about 30 seconds, begin to assemble your tree atop the batter, pressing in softly.

    You think I don't have time to make Christmas tree stencils out of spinach leaves? Oh, I have time. 

    Once the exposed side starts showing an air bubble or two (2-5 minutes, depending on heat), the pancake should be ready to flip. Go for it if it's starting to get golden on the bottom. Be gentle—don't mess up that hard-earned tree shape.

    Cook the other side for 1-2 minutes, or until golden brown.

    Repeat the process with the remaining batter, garnish with something red if you're feeling up to it (apples, pomegranate seeds, craisins...whatever.) and maybe some powdered sugar (Like snow! Next level, here we come!)

    If you want to ignore the salivating elves surrounding you and serve the pancakes at the same time, preheat the oven to 200 F and keep them in there until you're finished.

    The ornaments are not a garnish. Do not eat the ornaments.

    You're not allowed to use fake "maple syrup" here since it's usually just high fructose corn syrup or bad sugar. If you don't want to support real farmers and a beautiful age-old tradition with real maple syrup, go for honey, coconut nectar, date syrup, or brown rice syrup.

    One more thing: If you want to get real crazy, use cookie cutters on the cooked pancakes and go Christmas C-razyyy (examples in the top pic). Santa won't know what hit him.

    Plates gone wild!! There is Christmas sentiment everywhere!!
    Hey...is that the Star of David up there trying to get in on the action?? Yeahhh religious harmony!

    For more sometimes healthy, sometimes strange ideas, sign up to receive Chowgypsy updates in your inbox.

    Happy Holidays!!

    6 comments:

    1. Oh my, we may need to add these delights to the breakfast of bangers on boxing day! Christmas Cheer! Sukie and David xoxox

      ReplyDelete
    2. Wow, I love the creativity :) & Merry Christmas you guys!

      ReplyDelete
    3. Thanks ladies, we're going to have to think up some more spinachart for future pancakes!

      ReplyDelete
    4. It is wonderful how so many have popped up and given advice and tips - that is a really lovely thing. I am sure that you will have the most lovely time - we have only been abroad with the children twice - prior to that it has always been skin flint camping holidays. As always it is the simplest things that are so often the best and most appreciated spanje vakantie playa daro

      ReplyDelete
    5. When i was in Spain these day i am taste this kind of snacks... These are really yummy and wonderful. i Love this..... thanks for this kind of post i remember my holiday of Spain........

      http://www.clubvillamar.com/findAllVillas.php?region=Costa+Brava

      ReplyDelete
    6. spinach pancake. While I usually make sweet pancakes which my daughter tops with cheese, I figured this time, I would make her some healthy..
      See More Here

      ReplyDelete

    ShareThis

    LinkWithin

    Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...