Black-ish Forest Vegan Chocolate Protein Pancakes

 Black-ish Forest Vegan Chocolate Pancakes

My dear husband turned 71 today.  I am making him General Tso's tofu for dinner but also wanted to make him a delicious breakfast that would be something different from the usual smoothie and oatmeal. 

It had to be vegan, low in processed sugar, and maybe kind of reflective of a favourite German food.  

I know his favourite birthday cake used to be Black Forest Cake.  Way off his menu these days with his desire to be sugar-free and healthy as he trains to run another half-marathon in the Spring/Summer.

So after reading over a few such chocolate pancake recipes, I made a few modifications and came up with a pancake mix that I can store as the combined dry ingredients in a jar in the fridge, and when we want these lovely pancakes again, I will just scoop out the dry mix and add in the wet mix (almond milk and apple cider vinegar), and cook them up-- easy-peasy! 

So, here is the mix for 4 batches (about 16-24 pancakes):

-1 1/2 cups oat flour (can make by grinding in blender)

-1/2 cup white rice flour

-1/4 cup coconut flour

- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons Vega chocolate protein powder

- 1/4 cup cacao or cocoa powder

- 4 teaspoons baking powder

- 1 teaspoon baking soda

1. With the back of a spoon, press the above ingredients through a sieve into a mixing bowl.

2. Mix or whisk until well combined.  Add in any remnants too large to sieve.

3. Store in a large jar with lid in fridge.

To make one(1) batch of pancakes (4-6 pancakes), take 1/2 cup + 3 tablespoons of pancake mix from jar and add to small mixing bowl.  Stir in 1/2 cup almond milk until well combined.  Add in 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (ACV)

and stir through.   If batter is not the consistency of thick cream (conventional pancake batter) add splashes of milk.until it is.

For  8-12 pancakes, mix together 1 1/4 cups + 2 tablespoons of dry mix and stir in 1 cup+ of almond milk and 1 teaspoon of ACV.

For 12 -18 pancakes  mix together 2 cups + 1 tablespoon of dry mix and add and stir in 1 1/2+ cups of almond milk and 1 1/2 teaspoons of ACV.

Use all of the dry mix with 2+ cups of almond milk and 2 teaspoons of ACV. 

(Yields 18-24 pancakes).

METHOD:

1. Heat stickfree pan on high medium heat.  Add about a teaspoon of coconut oil and wipe across pan with paper towel.

2. Pour in about 1/4 cup of batter.  Watch edges cook and dry somewhat.  When bubbles appear in middle of pancake, gently but firmly flip (about 2 minutes mark).  Cook for a few seconds and remove to warming pan in low temp. oven or to individual plates.

2. We topped with coconut yogurt, a few stevia-sweetened chocolate chips and thawed dark cherries.  

You might want to use berries, maple syrup, berry- or date-syrup.  

Coconut whip cream and chocolate shavings would make it even more like Black Forest-ish cake.

Please let us know how you like this and what innovations you might make!

If you wanted to make something like a German Chocolate Cake I think this home made marzipan-ish sauce would work well:

               Recipe for healthy, yummy 

                      Marzipan Spread