Spring's Here! Vegan Carrot Cake Pancakes

We no longer have to "think spring"- signs of it are everywhere . . . here are some photos from our recent visit to the Grey Barn & Farm.

Did you know asparagus stalks grow about 2 inches a day?

To quote e.e. cummings, "the little calf [horse] is newlY

Born)

These ducks are only 7 weeks old.

Spring's come to our house, too . . .

O has been tending his seedlings which include: radishes, tomatoes, cucumbers, parsley, rosemary, chives and basil.

Carrots won't be growing until early summer. But, they still are an icon of spring, along with chicks and bunnies. And so, in the deliciously hopeful spirit of springtime, we bring you these  treaty Carrot Cake Pancakes (slightly adapted from the amazing blog: Vegan Richa).

Yes, a few more steps in this recipe than usual, but we think these wholesome, hearty little cakes are well worth it. Shortcuts could include using your favorite boxed mix and making most of the recipe the night before. The ingredient list isn't so exotic- we had almost everything we needed right here and just improvised with the rest, using our go-to plain dairy yogurt, etc.

Spring's Here! Vegan Carrot Cake Pancakes with Yogurt Coconut Cream frosting
serves 2+ grown-ups ( makes 4-5 pancakes)

Allergen Information: free of dairy, egg, soy, yeast. can be made gluten-free.
Ingredients:
1 loaded cup chopped carrots or 1 loaded cup shredded/grated carrots
1/4 cup raw walnuts (O's allergic to nuts so we used pumpkin seeds)
1/2 tsp oil (we recommend healthful Grapeseed oil. Trader Joe's carries it.)
1 Tbsp ground raw sugar or any finely ground sweetener
1/4 tsp each of each of cinnamon, ginger, clove powder
a pinch of nutmeg



Pancake Batter:
1 1/4 cup pancake mix (You could use Vegan Richa's multigrain pancake mix or gluten-free pancake mix)
1/4 tsp each of cinnamon, ginger powder
a generous pinch of clove and nutmeg powder
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp maple.syrup
1/3 cup almond milk (we used hemp milk)
1/3 cup water
1 tsp lemon juice


Yogurt Coconut Cream Frosting:
1/4 cup non dairy yogurt (could use vegan cream cheese)
1/3 cup coconut cream (the thick cream that settles on the top of the can after refrigerating for a few hours) or cashew cream
1 Tbsp coconut oil, softened
1/4 cup ground raw sugar or other sweetener of choice
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp or more lemon juice
1/2 tsp cider vinegar (we used apple cider vinegar because it was handy)


Method:
Grate the carrots, or pulse in a blender/food processor to a coarse shred. Pulse the walnuts to small pieces. We used our Cuisinart food processor (total 1.25 cups of grated carrots and chopped walnuts).
In a pan, add oil and heat at medium. Add the carrot walnut mixture and roast for 3 minutes. Add the sugar and spices.

 Mix and cook for another 4 minutes. Reserve a Tbsp of the mixture to top the pancakes.


In a bowl, whisk the dry ingredients of the pancake mix. Add the spices and mix. Add all the wet ingredients to the dry and mix to combine. Add more water if needed. Keep the batter thicker than usual so it can hold a lot of carrots.
Add the carrot walnut mixture and mix to combine.
Make 4-5 pancakes. Heat a pan on medium heat. Drizzle a few drops of oil. when the pan is hot, Spread the batter to form same size circles. The batter will be thicker than usual pancake batter, so use a spoon to
shape.

Cook 4-6 minutes each side.

Make the frosting: Combine everything under frosting in a bowl. Taste and adjust sour and sugar. Spread a Tablespoon or more frosting between the pancakes to bring out the sweetness.
Drizzle the frosting on the stacked pancakes or apply evenly with a spatula. Keeps well in fridge overnight.

Sprinkle the roasted carrot walnut mixture on top and serve.

Serve pancakes as is with maple syrup, with this yogurt cream frosting, or your favorite cream cheese frosting.


Yum! Yum! Just two of these kept me full for hours.These would make a great Mother's Day treat. We're thinking next time soaked raisins would be a nice addition. Just be sure to double the recipe or have breakfast fruit/meat on the side if you're feeding 4.

How many signs of spring will you see today?





Bonus-full text of e.e. cumming's poem

the little horse is newlY

Born)he knows nothing,and feels
everything;all around whom is

perfectly a strange
ness(Of sun
light and of fragrance and of

Singing)is ev
erywhere(a welcom
ing dream:is amazing)
a worlD.and in

this world lies:smoothbeautifuL
ly folded;a(brea
thing a gro

Wing)silence,who;
is:somE

oNe.

--e. e. cummings