Banana nut GF pancakes and running progress

*New gluten-free, dairy-free pancake recipe*

I doubled this one up.  It’s essentially the same as my other pancake recipe with the addition of banana and walnuts.

Makes 8-10 small-medium pancakes

Dry:

1/2 cup white rice flour

1/2 cup sweet rice

1/2 brown rice flour

1/2 cup tapioca flour

4 teaspoons baking powder (use a gluten-free variety to be truly gf)

2 tablespoon sugar (or honey or agave nectar)

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3-1/2 cup toasted, chopped walnuts

Wet:

2 eggs

4 tablespoons vegetable oil (I recommend regular vegetable or grapeseed oil, not olive oil)

1.5 – 2 cups of milk, I used almond milk

1 medium very ripe banana, well mashed

Heat a small skillet on medium heat and toast the walnuts until just crunchy.  Keep a close eye on them because nuts burn quickly.

Whisk together dry ingredients in a large bowl. (include the sugar in the dry, otherwise add the agave/honey with the wet ingredients)  Add in the toasted walnuts.  Next add  the wet ingredients in the order listed.  When adding the milk, add it slowly until you get to the pancake consistency you like.   Heat a skillet on medium heat and add 1/3 tablespoon of butter or buttery spread .  Once the butter has melted and begins to bubble, add 1/2 cup of batter.  Cook until you see bubbles forming on the top and flip.  These should cook fairly easily and be easy to flip.  I think these would be incredible cooked using coconut oil but Nic’s allergic so I didn’t try it.

My sister is staying with us for a few days so her, Nic and I ate all but three of these which I froze.  So there aren’t any photos, but I promise to add some next time.  In case you didn’t know, pancakes freeze really well!  I like to eat mine with peanut butter and/or maple syrup.  One defrosted pancake + one scrambled egg is a yummy quick breakfast.

Speaking of peanut butter…

I came across something evil today.  White chocolate peanut butter.  The ingredients aren’t too bad for something like this.  It does have sugar of course but what a nice treat smeared on a banana.  I may need supervision around the WCPB.

I also figured out a new way to make cabbage. We get a small head of cabbage in our CSA almost every week and I’ve tried it a million ways.  While sitting in the waiting room at my doctor’s I read Martha Stewart Living of all things and Martha suggests roasting it.  Hot-diggity-dog it’s delicious.  Like roasted brussel sprouts, if that’s your thing.  Despite my love of the WCPB I am extremely fond of vegetables.  Especially roasted veggies.

Just cut them into wedges, coat with oil (I used grapeseed).  Sprinkle some salt and pepper.  I also added cayenne because I like some spice.  Bake for 20-25 min at 350.

Also on my love list this week: Fresh Blueberries from our yard.  Last year Nic received two blueberry bushes for her birthday and we’re being treated to the occasional delicious, juicy blueberry.  I pulled these beauties off the bush and gobbled them before even getting back inside.

It’s also beginning to be blackberry season around our house.  Although I HATE the bushes, I love the fruit.  We picked a handful last and made blackberry, frozen cherry ice cream in the VitaMix.  In the next few days if we ever get some sun, we’re going to have tons of them.

Lastly I picked up some Skullcandy headphones on Working Out & Eating In’s suggestion.  They were only $10 and I can tell they’re going to stay in my ear better and be much more comfortable than the crappy Apple ones I’ve been jogging with.  My noise canceling ones are too clunky and fragile for jogging and the Apple ones hurt my ears.  Did you know Apple charges $30 on their website for those crappy white headphones?

I had some real progress this week with running although I’m short one run as I should have gone today or yesterday.  I’ll have to pick back up tomorrow.  I did 2.6 miles in 29 which is 11 minute miles for me.  That’s pretty good considering I walked too.  I’m investigating new running shoes.  I’m having trouble with my Vibrams as they rub on my heels and give me blisters. I have weird feet with bony narrow heels, very high arches and a wide forefoot.  I was thinking of going to Nike Frees.  Any thoughts?

I love that the Vibrams give me no knee/back/hip pain.  They kill my heels though.