New recipe: Breakfast pancakes with berries

Happy New Year! I meant to share at least one Christmassy recipe in December, I even took the photo, but time flew by and I never finished setting up the blog entry. I'm making it up with a recipe shared today on Books & Latte: Breakfast pancakes with berries, which I serve with pure maple syrup (the ones in the photo have blueberries but sometimes I use raspberries).

New! Two soups and bread buns

Two years have passed since I updated this blog (hanging my head in shame). Believe it or not but yesterday I shared a recipe by a friend of mine on the Books & Latte blog: Zanzibar-inspired carrot and coconut soup. In January last year - again, hanging my head in shame - I shared two recipes in one blog post: bread buns with sesame seeds and turnip tomato soup with parsley. It so happens that the three recipes are vegan.

Those of you who still use this old blog have noticed that some images were missing. I don't know the reason why but an older album seems to have vanished. Yesterday I spent some time uploading part of the older photos. It's my intention to share one confectionery recipe before Christmas and perhaps another Christmassy one if I find the time.

New! Pizza buns, bean stew and raw cake

This year I will not win any awards for my efficiency in posting recipes on the blog, but since I last updated this blog I have, in fact, posted three recipes on Books & Latte. Yesterday it was pizza buns (yeast-free), in October curried bean stew with coconut milk, one of my favourite autumn and winter recipes, and this summer a wonderful raw (unbaked) cake that my kids love, walnut chocolate fudge cake with raspberries, recipe by Any Phyo.

The First Advent Sunday is almost upon us and I'm looking forward to it. On Sundays in December we enjoy an Advent brunch and before the first one our home looks moderately festive: small decorations, hyacinths and plenty of candles (we decorate the tree on the first or second weekend in December). This Sunday I serve, among others, Swedish braided bread with cardamom, a beloved recipe in our home that I put together last year. Here is a list of the Christmassy recipes you will find on Books & Latte:

• chai latte (Indian tea)
• meringue tops (and chocolate sauce)
• quinoa pudding with Greek yoghurt, berries and fruit
• rhubarb and strawberry crumble
• rice and almond pudding (risalamande)
• spice loaf / bread
• Swedish braided bread with cardamom

And here are the Christmassy ones that are still here on the old blog:

• Brussels sprouts w/chestnuts, bacon and parsley
• chocolate chip cookies with almonds and oats
• mashed sweet potatoes with pecan nuts

How about turning off those mobiles and enjoying the Advent with books, board games and cosy homes?!

New recipes: soups

Today I posted a lentil soup recipe on the Lunch & Latte blog. It has been some time since my last recipe post, which was also a soup recipe that I hadn't shared before, tomato soup with vegetables and curry powder.

Please keep in mind that all new and updated recipes are categorised under · Kitchen & Aroma. The old recipes that I haven't updated yet are still here on the old blog.

Happy Holidays | new and updated recipes

It is time for a little update. As most of you should know by now, I'm no longer posting recipes on this blog. I share all the new ones and the ones I'm updating on my blog Books & Latte. It always warms my heart to see the Christmas recipes get more traffic in December and yesterday I updated the recipe for rice and almond pudding (risalamande), a traditional Danish dessert. Earlier in December I shared a new recipe for Swedish braided bread with cardamom, which is our latest Christmas tradition; a wonderful addition to our Sunday brunches in December. Below you will find the recent list of new and updated recipes:

• bread buns with sesame seeds
• chai latte (Indian tea)
• chocolate sauce
• meringue tops
• pancakes with rice
• pear muffins
• quinoa pudding with Greek yoghurt, berries and fruit
• rhubarb and strawberry crumble
• rice and almond pudding (risalamande)
• spice loaf / bread
• Swedish braided bread with cardamom

• black bean burgers
• chicken drumsticks, marinated
• pesto with basil
• pizza sauce
• potato wedges with seasoned salt


Happy Holidays everyone and my best wishes for 2016! Thank you for the blog visits,

Lisa Stefan

New and updated recipes II

Here is the latest list of new and updated recipes that you will now find on the Books & Latte blog:

BAKING | DESSERTS:

• bread buns with sesame seeds
• chai latte (Indian tea)
• chocolate sauce
• meringue tops
• pancakes with rice
• quinoa pudding with Greek yoghurt, berries and fruit

MAIN COURSE | SIDE DISH:

• black bean burgers
• chicken drumsticks, marinated
• pesto with basil
• pizza sauce
• potato wedges with seasoned salt


Kind regards,
Lisa Stefan

New and updated recipes

Those of you who regularly use this food blog have probably noticed that I have updated a few recipes and published the new version on my blog Books & Latte. I intend to do the same with all the recipes on this blog. My other blog contains recipes but I also blog about the books I'm reading, textiles and other things. If you are only after recipes, please visit · Kitchen & Aroma.

Here is a list of new and updated recipes that you will now find on Books & Latte:

BAKING | DESSERTS:

• bread buns with sesame seeds
• chai latte (Indian tea)
• pancakes with rice

MAIN COURSE | SIDE DISH:

• black bean burgers
• chicken drumsticks, marinated
• pesto with basil

This „old“ food blog is now closed to comments, but if you need to ask me something about a particular recipe, that you can still find here, then please send me an email.

Kind regards,
Lisa Stefan

Spiced blueberry cobbler by Ani Phyo

I have never posted frequently on this blog, maybe every 4-6 weeks, but I have been silent since January, which is the longest I have been absent. Last November we moved from Luxembourg to the UK and the oven in our new home wasn't quite agreeing with me. I had to adjust all baking temperatures and baking times for my recipes and found myself reluctant to experiment with recipes until I had tried another UK kitchen; another oven. Then we moved within the UK and now I have two wonderful ovens and I don't have to adjust anything. Well, I was quite busy unpacking but at some point I will start sharing more recipes. It's the blueberry season so let's start with this dessert by Ani Phyo, from her book Ani's Raw Food Desserts. I don't have many books on the raw cuisine but this one is definitely one of my favourites. All you need to make this one is a food processor.

SPICED BLUEBERRY COBBLER

INGREDIENTS

CRUST

• 1 cup (250 ml) dry almonds
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 cup pitted (semi-soft Medjool) dates

FILLING

• 4 cups blueberries
• optional: ¼ cup agave syrup

METHOD

1. Start with the crust: If you don't have Medjool dates, soak regular ones in water for 30 minutes
2. Combine the almonds, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt in a food processor. Pulse into coarse pieces
3. Add the Medjool dates (drain the water if using regular dates) and process until mixed well
4. Sprinkle half of the crust into the bottom of a loaf pan or a pie dish
5. To make the filling: Combine the blueberries and agave syrup (if using) in a mixing bowl and toss to mix well
6. Scoop the blueberries into the loaf pan. Top with the remaining crust, press gently and serve
7. To serve the cobbler parfait-style in a glass: Start with about ½ cup of cobbler in the bottom of a glass. Add a scoop of you favourite ice cream and top with another ¼ to ½ cup cobbler
8. I store the dessert in the fridge until I serve it with whipped cream, organic or home-made ice cream, or Greek yoghurt

Banana walnut bread

My love for walnuts knows no boundaries. I like keeping a jar of chopped walnuts in my kitchen and top my yoghurt with some (they are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids). When we moved to the UK I discovered an organic brand called Yeo Valley and that's the yoghurt I use now in all my recipes. By the way, they did not pay me for saying that; I will gladly support that brand on my blog. As I was baking this bread over the holidays, I realised that I had never shared the recipe on my English food blog, only the Icelandic one, which I started sooner. I got the recipe at Starbucks in Canada a few years back and I have made some changes, of course. I found it a bit interesting that they said the fat content had been reduced, yet the original recipe contained ½ cup vegetable oil, which I find way too much. The nuts are fatty enough so there is no need for all that oil (you can also use pecans). I hardly have to tell you that I have reduced the sugar content as well and added pure maple syrup, which I also love. In the original recipe it says buttermilk but usually I use natural yoghurt.

BANANA WALNUT BREAD

INGREDIENTS

• 260 g (2 cups) spelt flour (I like mixing fine and wholegrain)
• 1 tablespoon gluten free baking powder (½ if using regular)
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 100 g (½ cup) organic raw cane sugar
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup or agave syrup or organic raw cane sugar
• 1 large free-range egg
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract or organic vanilla sugar
• 2-3 tablespoons organic natural yoghurt or buttermilk
• 3 large bananas or 4 small (the original recipe says ripe)
• ½ cup chopped walnuts + 1 handful to top the batter

METHOD

1. Blend together the spelt flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside
2. In another bowl, mix together the egg, sugar, syrup and coconut oil
3. Add the flour mixture and gently mix with a spatula (don't worry if it looks a bit dry)
4. Mash the bananas and add them to the mixture with the vanilla extract and yoghurt/buttermilk
5. Fold in the ½ cup chopped walnuts
6. Line a loaf tin with parchment paper and pour the batter into it
7. Top with a handful of chopped walnuts (the original recipe says ⅓ cup but I find it too much)
8. Bake at 175°C/325°C/gas mark 3 for 50-60 minutes (if you stick a fork into the centre and it comes out clean your bread is ready)
9. Allow to cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes before removing from the loaf tin

Chocolate frosting or sauce

One of the most viewed recipes on the blog is my chocolate tray bake and for quite some time I have been meaning to share a chocolate frosting that I now use when serving the cake. I use the same recipe to make a chocolate sauce that I sometimes serve with the meringue tops that I also posted today. When making the sauce I add a bit more water (you can use the sauce on ice cream as well). Just make sure you prepare the frosting/sauce about one hour before serving.

CHOCOLATE FROSTING OR SAUCE

INGREDIENTS

• 3 tablespoons cocoa powder, preferable organic/fair-trade
• 1½ tablespoons organic raw cane sugar
• 2½ tablespoons agave nectar
• 3-3½ tablespoons water (4½-5 tbsp = about 75 ml if making chocolate sauce)
• a small piece organic dark chocolate or milk chocolate (about 20 g)
• optional: pinch of sea salt, fine

METHOD

1. Put all the ingredients into a small pan or saucepan
2. Bring to the boil over medium heat, stirring gently. Then remove from heat
3. Pour the chocolate frosting/sauce into a bowl and let it sit for about one hour before serving

Meringue tops (chocolate)

© Lisa Stefan | Books & Latte

Please find the meringue tops (with chocolate and chocolate sauce) recipe on my blog Books & Latte (follow the link).

Sweet potato soup with toasted pumpkin seeds

This sweet potato soup screams autumn. I found it on the website of Sweet Paul and I only made minor changes: I added the choice of using coconut oil instead of olive oil, I used Greek yoghurt instead of heavy cream, and I added the ginger. I haven't tasted it with thyme twigs yet but I'm sure it adds a wonderful flavour. Happy Autumn!

SWEET POTATO SOUP WITH TOASTED PUMPKIN SEEDS

INGREDIENTS

• 1 onion
• 1 garlic clove
• optional: fresh ginger (about the size of a dice)
• 4 large sweet potatoes
• 3 large carrots
• 1½-2 tablespoons olive oil or coconut oil (2 in original recipe)
• 2 organic vegetable stock cubes (or chicken)
• 1 litre (4 cups) water
• 190 ml (¾ cup) Greek yoghurt (heavy cream in original recipe)
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground chilli
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• garnish: toasted pumpkin seeds and thyme twigs and Greek yoghurt (or heavy cream)

METHOD

1. Peel and chop the onion, sweet potatoes, carrots, and ginger
2. In a large saucepan, sauté them briefly the oil
3. Add the vegetable stock cubes and water and bring to the boil, then lower the heat to low-medium
4. Cook for around 25 minutes or until the vegetables are tender
5. Using a hand blender, purée the soup. Then add Greek yoghurt (or cream) to thicken it
6. Stir the soup and bring to the boil
7. Season with chilli and pepper. Add salt if required
8. Toast pumpkin seeds in a pan until lightly toasted
9. Serve soup in bowls garnished with pumpkin seeds, fresh thyme and a drizzle of Greek yoghurt (heavy cream)

Potato and spring onion quiche (veggie pie)

Maybe this recipe should be called potatoes with quiche on the side! There are a few potato lovers in this family that I had in mind when putting it together. In my quiche, you will not find 5 eggs and double cream in the filling, and there isn't a mountain of butter in the pastry, in fact, there is none. There is also no need to plastic wrap the dough or blind-bake the pastry with baking beads before adding the filling. Sounds good, right? If you have been using store-bought pastry so far it is time to say goodbye to those and make your own. It's way easier and simpler than you think. Not to mention healthier. If you like potatoes I hope you will enjoy this quiche; other versions will appear on the blog later.

POTATO AND SPRING ONION QUICHE (VEGGIE PIE)

INGREDIENTS

FILLING

• 4 large potatoes (ca. 600 g / 1.3 lbs), precooked for 20 minutes
• 2 eggs
• 250 g cottage cheese (about 1 cup)
• 2 teaspoons (organic) mustard
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley or thyme
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• 7 cm (2.7 inches) piece of the green part of a bunch of spring onions (scallions), sliced
• 2 large handfuls (ca. 60 g) salad blend (e.g. endive, radicchio, lettuce) or spinach
• Topping: 75-100 g (about ¾ cup) of your favourite cheese, grated, and some freshly grated parmesan

PASTRY

• 1¼ cup spelt flour
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 2½ tablespoons organic vegetable oil
• 4 tablespoons water

METHOD

1. Start with precooking the potatoes maybe one hour before preparing the quiche: Cook them for 20 minutes without a lid. Drain the water and allow the potatoes to cool
2. In a large bowl combine the eggs (you can lightly beat the eggs first if you prefer), cottage cheese, mustard, herbs, salt and the salad blend/spinach
3. Take your bunch of spring onions and cut a 7 cm (2.7 inches) piece of the green part. Slice rather finely and add to the bowl. Set the bowl aside while preparing the pastry
4. For the pastry: Sift the spelt flour and sea salt into another bowl. Add the oil and water and mix gently with a spatula. Use your hands to gently knead the mixture in the bowl to get a feel for the texture. If it crumbles then you need a bit more oil; if it's too oily just add some spelt flour. (If you need to add oil, just put a few drops in the palm of your hands and knead the mixture in your hands until the texture feels right)
5. On a light spelt-floured surface shape the dough into a ball and then roll it out until you have a circle with about 28 cm diameter (11 inches). Use just a touch of oil to grease a pie dish (24 cm / 9.5 inches) and line it with the pastry. Prick the base with a fork in a few places
6. Peel the potatoes, dice them and add them to the filling. Then pour the filling into the pastry shell, even out and top with the grated cheese
7. Bake at 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4 for 50-55 minutes until the cheese turns golden brown
8. Let the quiche sit for about 5 minutes before serving

Mushroom salad

On Saturday I was in a magazine shop leafing through some issues and in the French food magazine Saveurs I came across a mushroom salad with such an appealing photo. I knew it wouldn't leave me alone so I decided to serve it with dinner that evening. I didn't understand every word in the recipe but I took a mental note of the ingredients and here you have my version of it (the proportion in the magazine was much larger as they used 1 kilo of mushrooms). Making the salad couldn't be simpler but keep in mind that the mushrooms need to marinate for two hours. I served the salad with grilled chicken and couscous for dinner and, as my husband phrased it, it was surprisingly delicious in its simplicity. I totally agree.

MUSHROOM SALAD

INGREDIENTS

• 300 g mushrooms (to save time you can use pre-sliced)
• 1½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• juice from about ⅓ of a lemon
• sea salt
• a handful of freshly chopped coriander

METHOD

1. Slice the mushrooms (or safe time and buy pre-sliced) and let them marinate in a large bowl with olive oil, lemon juice and some sea salt for two hours. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and if possible, stir occasionally
2. Before serving add the handful of chopped coriander

Quinoa pudding with greek yoghurt and strawberries

© Lisa Stefan | Books & Latte

Please find the quinoa pudding recipe on my blog Books & Latte (follow the link).

Rice with indian spices and sultanas

This rice recipe is very similar to the one I posted recently, called rice with Indian spices. The main difference is that there are no cloves and peppercorns in this side dish. Actually, cloves and peppercorns are parts of the garam masala spice blend but it contains many other ground spices and here we are only using ¼ teaspoon. You can skip the sultanas if you like but I think their natural sweetness and the Indian spices complement each other very well. As I said when I posted the other rice recipe, you can experiment with the spices as you like if your taste buds are calling for something different. If you want the rice saltier then sprinkle some Maldon sea salt on top.

RICE WITH INDIAN SPICES AND SULTANAS

INGREDIENTS

• 1½ cup (300 g) basmati rice
• 3 cups (750 ml) boiled water
• 1 organic vegetable stock cube
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil (or ghee)
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
• ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
• pinch of chilli flakes
• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
• ¼ teaspoon garam masala
• ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
• handful of sultanas/golden raisins

METHOD

1. Rinse the rice in a sieve under cold running water. Let the rice sit in the sieve until needed
2. Pour the boiled water needed (I boil it in a kettle) into a large glass jug and let the vegetable stock cube dissolve in it while you prepare the spices
3. Heat the oil in a saucepan (make sure the saucepan is big enough for cooking the rice) on medium heat and add the cumin seeds, mustard seeds and chilli flakes. Gently fry the spices until the seeds start to pop. As you are only using two teaspoons of oil, you don't have to move the spices around in the saucepan. Just make sure all the spices and oil are in one place
4. As soon as the seeds start to pop, add the vegetable stock, rice and the other three spices and stir gently
5. Increase the heat and keep it on the highest setting until the water starts boiling (takes just a moment), then reduce it to the lowest and cook the rice for about 12-15 minutes. Use a lid but let it tilt slightly to allow the steam to escape
6. About three minutes before the rice is ready take a handful of sultanas and spread them over the rice without stirring (just stir them into the rice before serving)

Rice with indian spices

The other day we were having a barbecue - grilled chicken - and my husband asked me if I could make one of my rice dishes to go with it. In the past, I have been making all kinds of versions of rice with spices and/or herbs, so this time I decided to write down the things I threw in for the blog. When we have a barbecue we tend to keep things rather simple. I'm not really keen on heavy sauces with grilled meat or too many side dishes. I'm fine with a simple salad, a couscous salad or rice. Sometimes I just grab the tamari sauce for the rice, but I like using Indian spices to turn a simple meal into something a bit more special. As with all other recipes on the blog, this one is not holy. You can experiment with the spices you like to find your own version if this one doesn't appeal to your taste buds. If you want the rice saltier then sprinkle some Maldon sea salt on top. I recommend removing the cloves and peppercorns before serving.

RICE WITH INDIAN SPICES

INGREDIENTS

• 1½ cup (300 g) basmati rice
• 3 cups (750 ml) boiled water
• 1 organic vegetable stock cube
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil (or ghee)
• ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
• ¼ teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 4 black peppercorns
• 3 whole cloves
• pinch of chilli flakes
• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric

METHOD

1. Rinse the rice in a sieve under cold running water. Let the rice sit in the sieve until needed
2. Pour the boiled water needed (I boil it in a kettle) into a large glass jug and let the vegetable stock cube dissolve in it while you prepare the spices
3. Heat the oil in a saucepan (make sure the saucepan is big enough for cooking the rice) on medium heat and add all the spices, except the turmeric. Gently fry the spices until the seeds start to pop. As you are only using two teaspoons of oil, you don't have to move the spices around in the saucepan. Just make sure all the spices and oil are in one place
4. As soon as the seeds start to pop, add the boiled water with the dissolved vegetable stock cube, the rice and turmeric and stir gently
5. Increase the heat and keep it on the highest setting until the water starts boiling, then reduce it to the lowest and cook the rice for about 12-15 minutes. Use a lid but let it tilt slightly to allow the steam to escape
6. Before serving the rice it is advisable to remove the cloves and maybe also the peppercorns, especially if you have children at the table

Pancakes (breakfast)

In my home country Iceland we would not use the word pancakes for this recipe. We call these skonsur, a word that was probably borrowed from the English word scone. Actually, I had been experimenting with Amercian pancakes, as we refer to the thick ones, when this recipe was born. It was on a Sunday morning when I was simply too lazy to whisk egg whites that I looked at the scribble in my notebook and thought to myself that I could probably turn this into skonsur with some minor changes. And I did. We like having these on Sunday mornings. My husband and I eat them with cheese and organic jam but the children tend to grab the pure maple syrup (or agave) for a more sugary taste - and sticky fingers! American readers please note: 1½ cup = 375 ml, so you will need about two tablespoons more if using 400 ml milk.

PANCAKES (BREAKFAST)

INGREDIENTS

• 325 g spelt flour (2½ cups)
• 2 tablespoons organic raw cane sugar
• 1 tablespoon agave syrup
• 2-2½ teaspoons gluten free baking powder
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 large eggs
• ± 400 ml milk/soy milk
• 2½ tablespoons coconut oil

METHOD

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients
2. Make a well in the centre of the flour, break the eggs into it and whisk them lightly
3. Add the milk slowly and whisk constantly and thoroughly until no lumps remain (I always use 400 ml milk)
4. Add the agave and coconut oil and combine well (if the coconut oil is solid, place the jar in a bowl of hot water before use)
5. Using a kitchen paper, smear the pan with a thin layer of oil and set the heat at medium-high (I use setting 6 of 9 for the first two pancakes and then I lower the heat to 5. When I find the surface of the pancakes becoming too dark, I lower the heat again and use setting 4 for the rest of the batter)
6. Use a ladle to pour the batter into the pan in one go and use the bottom of the ladle to spread the batter evenly. How long it takes to cook depends on the heat and the consistency of the batter. When the surface is completely covered with bubbles it is time to flip the pancake. The other side needs less time to cook and when it is done, transfer it onto a plate. Stack the pancakes to keep them warm (from the batter I get about 12 pancakes)
7. Serve the pancakes for breakfast with cheese and your favourite organic jam, or bring out the pure maple syrup (or agave), or whatever it is you like on your pancakes

Tomato soup with garlic and thyme

In our house this soup goes under the name Mooney soup, as I first tasted it at a birthday party in my friend Mooney's house, or The Palace, as she refers to her cosy and small flat in the city centre of Reykjavik. The recipe appeared in the food section of some Icelandic morning paper many years ago and I like the simplicity of it. It doesn't take long to prepare the soup so it's perfect on cold days when you don't have much time to cook. This is basically the original recipe but I have added the red lentils, ground coriander and paprika.

TOMATO SOUP WITH GARLIC AND THYME

INGREDIENTS

• 1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 vegetable stock cubes, yeast free
• 2 cans diced tomatoes (2 x 400 g)
• 1.2 litres water (about 5 cups)
• optional: 2 tablespoons red lentils
• 2 teaspoons thyme
• ¼-½ teaspoon ground coriander
• ¼ teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• pinch of freshly ground black pepper

METHOD

1. In the original recipe all the ingredients are put into a saucepan at once but I like to fry the onion and garlic in the olive oil for just a few minutes, until they turn soft
2. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook for 30 minutes
3. If you prefer, purée the soup with a hand blender before serving (you can also use a food processor but then it is advisable to allow the soup to cool first and warm it up before serving)
4. Serve with home-made bread or garlic bread

Pancakes (icelandic)

In this house we cannot get enough of pancakes. There was a time when we made them almost every Sunday, and I'm not talking about American pancakes, as we refer to them, that are served for breakfast with syrup. Ours are larger and thinner (smaller than crêpes) and in Iceland they are served with jam and whipped cream - not lemon juice and sugar, as is common in Europe. The kids sometimes use organic or home-made chocolate hazelnut spread instead of jam. Some people like to drizzle them with sugar and roll them up and I remember eating a lot of those when I was a kid. When I look back it was my father that made the pancakes in our home (my mother was the waffle maker) and I also remember sitting in my grandmother's kitchen watching her make pancakes. Happy times! I find it best to use white spelt flour in these. I know that the common method is first setting the heat at highest and then making the pancakes at medium heat but I find it better to start with medium heat and cook the pancakes at medium-low. I guess it depends on what kind of pan you use.

PANCAKES

INGREDIENTS

• 250 g spelt flour (2 cups)
• optional: pinch of fine sea salt
• 2 eggs, free-range
• 500-550 millilitres milk/soy milk (2 cups = 500 ml)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (from a health food store)
• 1½-2 tablespoons coconut oil or other quality vegetable oil

METHOD

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder
2. Make a well in the centre of the flour, break the eggs into it and whisk them lightly
3. Add the milk slowly and whisk constantly and thoroughly until no lumps remain
4. Add the vanilla extract and oil and whisk some more until the batter is smooth (the consistency should be like thin cream). If you use coconut oil and it is solid, just place the jar in a bowl of hot water before use
5. Before I start making the pancakes I use a kitchen paper to smear the pan with oil and then I set the heat at medium. I lower the heat slightly before making the first pancake (from the batter I get 20-25 pancakes)
6. It is good to do a test pancake just to make sure you are using the correct amount of batter. Use a ladle to pour the batter into the pan in one go and swiftly use the bottom of the ladle to spread the batter evenly. How long it takes to cook depends on the heat. In my case it takes about 40 seconds for the pancake to turn golden on the bottom (use a palette knife/pan turner to lift the edge to see if it is done). Flip the pancake over with a palette knife/pan turner. The other side needs less time to cook and when it is done, transfer it onto a plate. Stack the pancakes to keep them warm
7. Serve with whipped cream (you can also use soy cream or cashew cream) and your favourite jam. In this house it is usually organic blueberry, red currant or raspberry jam. After you have added the jam and whipped cream, fold the pancake in half, then in half again to form a triangle. You can also drizzle the pancakes with raw cane sugar and roll them up