Pancakes are a classic breakfast favorite! But what if I tell you there’s a better way of cooking your usual pancakes that will double the nutrients and reduce the sugar and carb content? That’s what my pumpkin pancakes recipe is – high protein and fiber, high antioxidant content, and lower in sugar and carb! What a perfect combo! And best of all, it’s so easy to make. In fact, even kids can help prepare this tasty, nutritious, and hearty breakfast dish.
So, if you want to give your family something different but loaded with great flavor and nutritional value, pumpkin pancakes are the way to do it. Let’s get our ingredients ready and whip up this fantastic dish.
Pumpkin Pancakes Nutrition and Health Benefits
Before I cook something, I first make sure it answers basic and important questions: Is it healthy? What kind of nutrients does it provide my body? And guess what – pumpkin pancakes are a big YES to both!
As an illustration, let’s take a look at the nutritional profile of pumpkins:
A cup or 245 grams of cooked pumpkin has:
49 Calories
2 grams of protein
3 grams of fiber
245% Vitamin A of the RDI
19% Vitamin C of the RDI
… And a good amount of potassium, manganese, copper, Vitamin E and B vitamins. It’s a powerhouse of nutrition that your body needs!
Pumpkins Help Improve Your Eyesight
Pumpkins are rich in beta carotene. Your body turns this carotenoid into Vitamin A, which helps protect and improve your eyesight. As your eyesight deteriorates over time, it is important to consume Vitamin A-rich foods to combat this health issue. And pumpkins are perfect for that! Aside from Vitamin A, pumpkins also contain a notable amount of zeaxanthin and lutein. These two compounds reduce your risks of cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. By eating more pumpkins, you are taking in the right nutrients that can boost your eye health naturally.
Pumpkins Boost Your Immune System
Vitamin A is not just good for your eyes. They do wonders to your immune system, too! A strong immune system is like an armor that protects you from infections and diseases. Isn’t it great if you can have a natural shield that limits your chances of getting sick? Here’s more – the vitamin C and E level in pumpkins are very impressive, too. These antioxidants may help prevent free radical damage to your eye cells. So, clear eyes, strong immune system, better resistance to infections… What’s not to love about pumpkins? It’s truly amazing that God has given us natural medicines through his wonderful creations. And it’s only up to us to go ahead and choose these God-given foods for our health and wellness.
Nutrition-Boosted Pumpkin Pancakes
I’ve eaten and made plenty of pancakes in the past… But they’re not as healthy or as tasty as these pumpkin pancakes! So I’m very excited to share with you this recipe, which was inspired by Chef John on Allrecipes.com. I altered the ingredients to improve the nutritive value, and I have to admit that it also enhanced the flavor even more. I selected better flours and added in some spices to increase the fiber, protein, and vitamin content. And of course, the pumpkin puree just takes this pancake recipe to the next level – flavor and nutrition-wise!
I use pumpkin puree for this recipe, which is surprisingly easy to make. You don’t even have to buy those canned, store-bought pumpkin purees in the store. Just make it yourself, so it’s fresher, more nutritious, and tastier!
Check out my other pumpkin recipe for Pumpkin Bread that walks you through the easy steps on how to make rich and creamy pumpkin puree… And maybe you can whip up this nutritious bread, too, after you make this pumpkin pancakes recipe!
Perfectly Delicious Pumpkin Pancakes
Ingredients
- 2 Cups whole wheat flour kamut or spelt flour
- ⅓ Cup sucanat
- 2 Teaspoons baking powder
- 1 Teaspoon baking soda
- ½ Teaspoon salt
- 1 Cup pumpkin puree
- 1 Teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ Teaspoon all spice
- 1 egg
- 1 ½ Cup milk almond, oatmeal, soy or your favorite
- 2 Tablespoon organic olive oil
- 2 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 Teaspoon lemon zest
Instructions
- Combine flour, sucanat, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl, and whisk together for two minutes to aerate.
- In a separate bowl, combine pumpkin puree, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, egg, milk, 2 tablespoons of oil, lemon juice and lemon zest. Mix in the flour mixture and stir just until moistened. Do not over mix.
- Coat griddle with 1 teaspoon oil over medium heat.
- Pour batter into skillet ¼ cup at a time, and cook the pancakes until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side.
what is sucanet, where would I find it and if I can’t is it Ok to do without or find a substitute?
It is a complete natural dried sugar cane. The original sucanat is hard to find. Most in Walmart are a processed sucanat. Yes, you can always go without.
Is there something that can be used instead of sucanat?
How much ginger?
There is no ginger in this recipe – but feel free to add some if you’d like!
I believe she asked because in step 2 it says to add ginger but it’s not in the ingredient list. I think I might have to try it with some added. It does sound tasty