Get Addicted to Carrot & Almond Pancakes with Cinnamon Apple Sauce and Cashew Nut Cream

Pancakes, pancakes, PANCAKES!

I do not remember what age I was at when I started playing around at mum’s kitchen, but what I do remember well is what my first “projects” were > pancakes! Once I started preparing them on my own, no one else in my family had the right to make them too, it was only mine! Luckily, my pancake egoism was rather welcome because it led into that I wanted to make dinner quite often –> less work for others. At that time, I used to make the classic “milk, flour, sugar and eggs” pancakes topped with jam and cream or, since sweet dinner is not something for my dad, with spinach, ham and cheese (oh my, place them in a large form, one on top of another, spinach etc. in between, and bake them, you’ll understand!).

Though pancakes became my favorite meal and has been so ever since, be honest, it’s not the most nutritious kind of meal… well, ok, rather quite the opposite of a “nutritious meal”. Damn.

No, no “damn” here”! Pancakes are great and I’ll keep on eating them! Because one can play so much with all the various, many of which truly healthy, ingredients and ways of preparation!

There are tons and tons of recipes for gluten free, dairy free, egg free, protein rich –and I don’t know what more– super awesome pancakes and – yes, I am just about to write one more of such. My flourless, dairy free carrot pancakes without any added sugar or artificial sweetener. Simply because these are awesome 😅😍

Last four weeks, I tried to “eat clean” – stay without any processed food, sugar, sweeteners, dairy products, grains, legumes, alcohol, soda, etc. Since such way of eating doesn’t mean that many strict restrictions to my diet, I enjoyed most of my meals and struggled almost only when my boyfriend was eating a huge burger and drinking cola on Friday night right beside me… But, well, it could be worse 😅. The second struggle was, though, that over time I got little bored of boiled eggs, avocado and seeds for breakfast. I knew that one big point of the diet was to not reproduce baked goods in any “better way”, but still, I couldn’t help my urge to make pancakes – in a “as little cheating way as possible”… I know, it is still cheating… but hey…

I basically asked myself “what am I allowed to eat these days?” and made it into a pancake > Protein and some fat in eggs, more fat and fiber in almonds and cashews, fruit and veggies – apples and carrot (the sweet sweet choice among vegetables but at the same time enough sweetness to the final meal, no added sweetening needed). Top it with a lot of cinnamon and – wohou 🎉Carrot Pancakes!!!🎉

I was super happy especially about the dairy free cashew nut cream that I topped the pancakes with– I started using cashew nut butter thanks to my job (as an important ingredient in preparation of raw cakes) and I got inspired for using it at home too – but in the beginning mostly as savory dressing for salads. For this pancake recipe, I take one or two teaspoons of cashew nut butter and blend it with lukewarm water and cinnamon, that’s all – easy and really, really tasty!

As I am writing this article, I am getting really hungry. What a “pity” that I need to take some pictures In order to finish this post – I need to make these pancakes today 🤩. So what do I need?

Start by the Apple Cinnamon Sauce

1 Apple

1 tsp Cinnamon

5 tbsp Water

Cut the apple into small pieces, place into a sauce pan together with water and cinnamon and cook over medium heat until apples get soft. I usually start by warming up the apples and then keep it slowly boiling during the time I prepare pancakes. Apples are then soft and warm right at the time when pancakes can be served.

For the Carrot Pancakes (2 portions or one big meal as in my case🤪)

2 Peeled carrots

3 Eggs

75g Almond meal

1/2 tsp baking powder

Pinch of salt

Coconut oil for frying

Start by finely grounding carrots in a food processor or shred them finely by hand. Add rest of ingredients and blend until smooth batter is obtained.

Melt the coconut oil in a non–stick frying pan over medium heat. Add a half of batter for each pancake, cover the pan and cook for 3 minutes (adjust the amount of batter and length of cooking to the size of your pan. My general advice is – cook over medium heat and once you see the pancake is no longer liquid on its top, that is the right time to turn it.) Turn the pancake and cook another minute.

While waiting for pancakes to be cooked, make the

Cashew Nut Cream

2 tsp Cashew nut butter

2 – 5 tsp Lukewarm water

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

Blend all together in a small bowl, adjust the consistency by adding more or less water.

Hey, don’t burn the pancakes, I can smell it from here – they are getting ready! Pour the apples over, top it with the cashew nut cream, sprinkle your dish with sliced almonds and enjoooooy!

Bon appetite, Bara!