Carrot Cake Pancakes

Unless it's a holiday, I pretty much never cook breakfast. During the week, I eat my oatmeal. On the weekends, it's yogurt because I have no energy to make anything after I get home from my runs. Once in a blue moon, I'll make a breakfast for dinner. I always see delicious looking breakfast dishes on other blogs, but know I'll never get around to it. 

Last week I was flipping through my recipe binder, and found this recipe from Cooking Light that I have had saved for a few months. JJ's favorite cake is carrot, and I knew he'd like these, so I put them on the menu. I then remembered the reason I never make breakfast for dinner is because I have such a hard time picking out sides to go with things like pancakes. Beans/tofu don't really go, and a salad with pancakes... not so much. In the end, I made these with the sesame maple brussels sprouts as well as the tempeh sausages from previous posts.

Coincidentally, the night I made these he ended up working late and had dinner out. However, I really enjoyed these pancakes. They weren't overly sweet at all, and tasted pretty healthy because there's a lot of carrot in the recipe! I didn't make the honey butter, instead I used a blood orange marmalade, which was also delicious! 

Carrot Cake Pancakes

adapted Cooking Light, January 2010

1 1/4 c. white whole wheat flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/8 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 c. dark brown sugar

3/4 c. fat free buttermilk

1 tbsp. canola oil

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3 egg whites, beaten

1 c. grated carrot

nonstick spray

Heat a griddle over medium-low.

In a large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients (flour thru brown sugar).

In a small dish, whisk together wet ingredients.

Pour wet ingredients into dry, add carrots and fold in until batter comes together.

Spray griddle with nonstick spray, ladle batter in 1/3 c. cakes.

Cook for 4 minutes, until bubbles rise up, flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Serve with butter, maple syrup or jam.