Best Pancakes

I get it.  They don't look like much.  But stick with me here.  It is really hard to get a good picture of pancakes -- they're all about the taste, man, not the looks -- especially early in the morning when your humble cook is more interested in scarfing down her creation while it's still hot than fiddling with her camera's settings.

And these pancakes are fantastic.

Most mornings I go for very simple and quick breakfast options -- oatmeal and fruit, granola, a Larabar -- but some days, I really need something special.  Enter the Best Pancakes.  They're light and delicious with a hint of banana and vanilla flavors.  They're easy to make.  They don't sit in your stomach like a rock like so many pancakes do.  Plus, like many of my recipes, this recipe is a template and can be dressed up to fit your mood (tropical pancakes?  chocolate chip pancakes?  blueberry lemon pancakes?  the possibilities are endless!) or just enjoyed with some good, old fashioned maple syrup.  These are special pancakes.  They're the best.

Best Pancakes right before being drizzled with maple syrup and devoured.

Best Pancakes

Ingredients
1 cup soymilk
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 banana, mashed
2 Tablespoons Earth Balance, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Stir soymilk and apple cider vinegar together in a medium bowl and set aside for the soymilk to curdle.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the flours (you can also just use one cup of white flour), baking powder, salt, and sugar.
3. Add the mashed banana, vanilla, and Earth Balance to the curdled soymilk and whisk together.
4. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir with a spatula until just blended.
5. This is the part where you cook the pancakes however you like to cook them.  I use a cast iron pan, which necessitates a little oil or Earth Balance to prevent sticking.  However, you can avoid the added fat by using a nonstick skillet.  Cook on medium heat.
6. When the pancakes are bubbly all over on one side (see photo below), flip them.  Then cook for another minute or two, until done.
7. Serve with real maple syrup, fruit compote, powdered sugar or whatever suits your fancy.

As I mentioned above, you can dress these pancakes up in any way you can think of.  Some of my favorite variations:

• Add 1 cup of fresh or frozen blueberries
• Add finely diced fresh apple and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• Add 1 cup of pecans
• Add 3/4 cup shredded coconut and 1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts; top with fresh pineapple

Best Pancakes, bubbly and ready to be flipped.