EASY PANCAKES

Submitted by Sam (Senior Guide)

INGREDIENTS

1 ½ cups of self raising flour (or sub all-purpose and add 1 tablespoon baking powder)

Pinch of salt

1 tablespoon of maple syrup

2 tablespoons oil

1 cup plain soda water + ¼ - ½ cup of oat milk**

OR simply 1 ¼- 1 ½ cups of soda water*

Time

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Serves

8 medium size pancakes


Storage

Keep well in the fridge for 2 - 3 days

METHOD

Mix it up. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour (& baking powder if using AP flour) and salt.

Combine. Make a well in the centre of the flour and add maple syrup, oil, soda water and milk. Stir to combine.

Let sit. Allow the batter to sit at room temperature for ten minutes or so. Check consistency, and if too thick, add more soda water or milk.

Heat fry pan to a medium heat. Add a half teaspoon of neutral oil (canola for example) or plant-based butter.

Get flippin'! Depending on what size pancakes you're aiming for, use a scooped spoon or measuring cup, say a ½ cup, to scoop batter from the bowl and add to the pan. Allow the mixture to spread and watch for bubbles forming on the upper side. When bubbles are breaking and not re-filling (form is held), the pancake is ready to be flipped over. Once flipped, they only need an additional minute or so to brown the second side.

Serve. Serve warm and enjoy!

Notes from Sam: *The soda water contributes to the aeration of the pancake whilst the milk will make it more flavourful but also more dense.

**Any plant-based milk is great, but I find that soy milk tends to thicken the batter too much. You can totally play around with the soda water and milk ratios.

If you want to add some more nutritional value; replace the oil with either a flax egg, ½ a mashed banana, 2 tablespoons of applesauce, or even pumpkin puree.

Flax eggs are commonly used as binding agents in plant-based baking. Simply combine 1 tablespoon of flax meal with 3 tablespoons of warm water, whisk and let sit for 5 minutes before combining with other ingredients.
Be sure to use a plant-based milk instead of dairy and a plant-based butter (if using, to grease your fry pan).
Use vegan-friendly sugar.
Get your dry ingredients from a bulk store or bulk section of your supermarket and use your own jars and bags. Check out some of the stores in the Sea to Sky and Vancouver here.
A Sodastream is a great way to make soda water at home without all the packaging that comes with buying bottled beverages. Check out where you can get your carbonators exchanged or refilled here.
Plant-based milks can be pre-ordered and purchased from The Velvet Underground (just across the road from Green Mo-Function Junction!) and come in re-usable glass bottles, or even better, bring your own container for them to transfer the milk into Shop Velvet Cafe
If you’re interested in making your own oat, soy or nut milks, there are recipes galore online, or you can check out Velvet Underground's YouTube video here.
Bred, a bakery located in Creekside, Whistler, mills flour on their premises. Pre-order and pick up flour in store! Locally milled flour - Bred
Flourist is a Vancouver Mill & Bakery that delivers to North Shore, Burnaby, Richmond and Vancouver. All their grains are sourced from Canadian growers in addition to some wholegrains and beans!
Earth's Own are a Canadian brand who make plant-based milk products that are available widely throughout the country and are based in Burnaby, BC!
You can adjust your toppings according to the season; fresh berries in the summer, stewed apples & pears or maple syrup in the winter or even jam that you made in the summer and froze to use in the off-season.
Check out what foods are in season in BC when HERE.
Another great way to ensure you're using seasonal produce is to subscribe to a CSA Box with a local farm and structure your meals around the seasonal produce you've received that week!
Photos by Luke Pennystan and Tatiana Rodriguez