OATS BEET PANCAKES & BANANA NUT BREAD

       OATS BEET PANCAKES

Aside from being strikingly beautiful, these pancakes are subtly sweet, had a great earthy, nutty flavor and texture, were surprisingly light and are actually healthy . Lately I have been experimenting with oats from porridge…to idli,dosas,upma……and these pancakes. Yoy can even make this with other flours too.

Beetroot also contains betaine, a substance that relaxes the mind and is used in other forms to treat depression and contains trytophan which is also found in chocolate and contributes to a sense of well beingSugar rush – Beetroot has one of the highest sugar contents of any vegetable. Up to 10 per cent of beetroot is sugar, but it is released slowly into the body rather than the sudden rush that results from eating chocolate. Researchers have known for some time that juice may help lower blood pressure, but in 2010 UK researchers revealed that nitrate is the special ingredient in beetroot which lowers blood pressure and may help to fight heart disease.

Beetroot is also known as nature’s Viagra. – One of earliest known benefits of beetroot is its use as an aphrodisiac during the Roman times (maybe that’s why The Lupanare, the official brothel of Pompeii, which still stands, has its walls adorned with pictures of beetroots). Sceptical? It is not all folklore as beetroot contains high amounts of boron, which is directly related to the production of human sex hormones.

Ingredients

• 1 cup instant oats (powdered)
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 large beet pureed (about 3/4-1 cup)
• 1 – cup milk
• 1/3 cup plain yogurt
• 1 large egg / 2 small
  
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

METHOD:-

Sift the first 4 ingredients into a bowl(powdered oats,whole wheat flour,baking powder and salt).  Place the rest of the wet ingredients in a separate bowl and whisk thoroughly to combine.  Add the dry ingredients into the wet and stir until just combined.  Drop about 2 tbsp of the pancake mixture onto a greased griddle or non-stick pan over medium heat and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side.  Serve with desired accompaniments. We had this with bananas,strawberry,a drizzle of honey and greek yoghrt.

NOTES:-

• Since we had this with banana and honey, and the natural sweetness from beets i did not add any sugar. Add 2-3 tsp brown sugar according to your taste preferances.
• Although the batter is best if used immediately, it can sit for up to 1 hour on the counter or overnight in the refrigerator. When you return to the batter, it will be very thick and should be thinned, 1 tablespoon at a time, with milk. Take care not to overmix.
• If the pan is too hot or not hot enough, adjust the flame accordingly to keep results consistent.
• If the pan is too hot, the pancakes will have uneven edges like a flower. that is it wont be a perfect circle. So make sure to keep the heat medium.
• If you want you can cover and cook after flipping, this makes it even more soft and locks the moisture.
• I neither roasted nor boiled the beet but pureed it raw. If you want you can oven roast or boil,then puree and use.
• Using of yogurt is optional but it balances the PH and keeps the beautiful reddish hue and not turn it dark.

BANANA NUT BREAD

A zero-oil banana bread recipe using apple sauce. Feel free to replace oil/butter in place of apple sauce. A bit dense but moist loaf of bread to be had as a breakfast or snack.

INGREDIENTS:-

• 1/3 cup – apple sauce/ olive oil
• 1/2- cup honey
• 1 -tsp vanilla
• 2- eggs
• 3 -whole bananas mashed
• 1 1/2 cups – whole wheat flour
• pinch of salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 cup hot milk
• handful of chopped walnuts

METHOD:-

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease two 8×5 inch loaf pans with baking spray. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt with a wire whisk. Set aside. In a large bowl Add egg whites, bananas, apple sauce , honey and vanilla, and beat at medium speed until thick. Scrape down sides of the bowl. Add flour mixture and walnuts, then blend at low speed until combined. Do not over mix. Pour batter into a loaf pan and bake on the center rack for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the pan cool for at least 20 minutes, bread should be at room temperature before slicing. 

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