Breakfast or Dinner: Sweet Potato Pancakes Recipe
The soft flesh, tender taste, and healthy attributes of the humble sweet potato make it a superstar in conscious kitchens today. Easy to cook in a variety of recipes, this orange tuber is rich in complex carbohydrates, fiber, beta-carotene, potassium, manganese and vitamins C and B6. Ranking high in nutritional value even when compared to other vegetables, sweet potatoes also help to stabilize blood sugar levels and to lower insulin resistance – making them an ideal food for diabetics or anyone wishing to avoid blood sugar crashes. But beyond the health benefits, these sweet and flavorful tubers are so tasty you’ll want to make this sweet potato pancake recipe simply because it’s delicious.
Look for sweet potatoes with dark orange flesh, which offer more beta-carotene, and always choose organic as this vegetable is grown in the ground. Like many Americans, you may only know sweet potatoes from their brown sugar-covered, marshmallow-topped existence at the Thanksgiving dinner table, or perhaps in the glorious form of sweet potato pie. But in reality this healthy tuber works fantastically in a range of both sweet and savory dishes.
Sweet potato pancakes are easy to make, and their naturally honeyed flavor cuts down the need for sugary syrup or whipped cream on top of your stack. Prepare sweet potato pancakes for your next breakfast or dinner and discover just how tasty this ground fruit can be.
(Makes 24 pancakes)
Ingredients
¾ pound sweet potatoes
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup whole-wheat flour
3 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 ½ cups milk
¼ cup butter (melted)
2 eggs, beaten
Directions
1. Scrub your sweet potatoes thoroughly to remove any traces of dirt, then place then in a medium-large pan of boiling water. Cook for 15 minutes or until tender but still firm. Drain off the hot water and then refill your pot with cold water to loosen the skins. Drain again, peel away the skins, then mash the potatoes with a fork or potato masher.
2. Add to your mashed sweet potatoes the eggs, milk and butter. In a separate bowl, sift together both types of flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon. Slowly mix the sweet potato mixture into your flour mixture until the batter is blended well.
3. Heat a griddle pan or large non-stick skillet on medium-high and grease it lightly with butter or your choice of oil. Drop the batter onto the griddle by heaping spoonfuls to make the size of pancakes you so desire. Once you see bubbles begin to rise through the batter, flip your pancakes over with a spatula and cook the other side until nice and golden brown.
4. Serve right off the grill and top with sliced fresh fruit, such as bananas, berries or mangoes. Enjoy!
Alternatives:
Add ½ cup of roasted nuts such as pecans or walnuts to your batter, or just top your pancake stack with them for extra crunch.
Don’t like the rough quality of the whole-wheat flour? Just use 1 ½ cups of all-purpose flour instead.
Leave out the nutmeg and cinnamon and you’ll have a savory treat instead: dinner pancakes that pair well with a spinach salad or roasted vegetables.
Image: Premshree Pillai
