Kate from Soupasana and I were recently talking about the sizes of Pumpkin Puree Cans and those are huge (540ml), so I've been trying to use it all up and I finally succeeded!! I've been looking for smaller cans for the last little while, but with no luck; although in my search for them I actually found much bigger cans. And I mean much bigger. I think if I were to buy them, I'd turn into a pumpkin.

I had a little bit of pumpkin puree left after making Pumpkin, Garlic and Chili Bread and "Pumpkin Pie" Bruleed Oatmeal and every time I opened my fridge it was looking at me and pleading to be used. First, I wanted to use it in Pumpkin Oatmeal again, but mornings are frantic with me trying to get ready for work and not be too late. I entertained the thought of making Pumpkin Lentil Soup, but the weather here in Toronto was really hot and eating a hot soup didn't sound like a good idea. Finally, I figured it out - Pumpkin Pancakes! I had some soy milk in my fridge which I wanted to use up, so after having to use that I figured that I might as well try to make the pancakes vegan. I completely made up this recipe and up until I tried the first pancake I was not sure if it would work. Oh my, those were really good!!! They had this characteristic yeasty after-taste which I adore because I decided to be fancy and used yeast as a leavening agent instead of baking powder. Apple sauce and Pumpkin made the pancakes fruity and Bran made them taste a little bit like Bran muffins, so they reminded me of dessert.

for 15-18 small pancakes

• All-purpose flour - 2/3 cup
• White rice flour - 1/3 cup
• Bran - 1/4 cup
• Brown sugar - 2 tablespoons
• Dry yeast - 1/2 teaspoon
• Salt - 1/4 teaspoon
• Pumpkin puree - 1/4 cup
• Apple Sauce - 1/2 cup
• Soy milk - 1 cup
• Oil - 1 tablespoon + more for the pan

- In a large bowl whisk together both flours, sugar, bran, salt and yeast.
- Warm the milk to about 40C (body temperature).
- Add warm milk to dry ingredients and mix.
- Add pumpkin puree, apple sauce and mix well.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Fill the sink with hot tap water, place the bowl with batter into the hot water and let stand for about 1-1.5 hours, until the batter become light and very fluffy.
- Whisk in the oil.
- Brush a non-stick pan with some oil and heat.
- Drop about one tablespoon of batter onto the hot pan for each pancake and cook 2-3 minutes on low-medium heat until bubble begin to appear on the surface of the pancakes.
- Flip the pancakes and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
- Serve with maple syrup.

Comments:

- Baking powder can be used instead of yeast and in this case there's no need to leave the batter to rise for an hour in hot water. I still urge you try them with yeast as the flavour is very different from normal pancakes.
- More sugar can be added if they are not served with maple syrup or jam.

These little potato latkes are good for lunch, late Sunday breakfast or light dinner if served with a side of salad. Easy to make and even easier to eat. Salty soy with pungent garlic and nutty sesame sauce brings the dish to a next level. It's not a traditional sour cream condiment and it makes these pancakes different from their rosti cousin.

recipe adapted from here

• Potatoes - 2 big
• Onion - 1/2 small
• Cornstarch - 3 teaspoons
• Salt, pepper to taste
• Oil for frying

- Grate the potatoes using a fine grater.
- Wrap the potatoes in a clean kitchen towel or paper towel and squeeze dry to get rid off extra liquid in the potatoes.
- Put the potatoes into a large bowl.
- Finely grate the onion and add it to the potatoes.
- Add the cornstarch, salt, pepper and mix well.
- Heat a thin layer of oil in a skillet over medium heat.
- Spoun the mixture and drop it onto a pan, spread it a little to form a thin layer.
- Dry for 2-3 minutes on each side until the potatoes are cooked through and golden.
- Put on a paper towel to get rid off oil.

For the sauce

• Soy sauce - 3 tablespoons
• Garlic, finely minced - 2 cloves
• Sesame oil - 1 teaspoon
• Vinegar - 1 teaspoon
• Maple syrup - 1 teaspoon
• Sesame seeds to taste

- Mix all the ingredients for the sauce.

I don't cook with pumpkin too much, but I'm hoping to change that. Adding this tasty vegetable to a pancake batter not only provides great colour and taste, but also counts as a vegetable serving. Hmmm... if all the vegetables came in such tasteful packages, I'd definately eat more of them.

recipe from Nigella Christmas

makes around 30 pancakes

• Eggs - 2
• Butter milk - 375 ml (+ more if the batter is too thick)
• Pumpkin puree - 1 can (400 g)
• Flour - 250 g
• Sugar - 3 tablespoons
• Baking powder - 1 teaspoon
• Baking soda - 1/2 teaspoon
• Salt - 1/4 teaspoon
• Oil - 1 table spoon plus more for frying

- Put all of the ingredients into a blender and blend for a few minutes until a thick batter forms. You might need to add more buttermilk if it's too thick.
- Alternatively, in a bowl whisk eggs with butter milk until foamy, add the pumpkin puree and mix. Add the rest of the ingredients to a bowl and mix with a spatula.
- Fry the pancakes on a lightly oiled skillet until the bubbles start to pop on the batter, turn the pancakes and fry for 2-3 minutes on the other side.

Comments

- These pancakes can be made a day ahead. Keep them refrigerated and warm in 325F (170C) oven for 20-30 minutes.

What can be better for a lazy Sunday breakfast than pancakes? Blueberry pancakes, perhaps? With a drizzle of luscious sweet maple syrup. Why do Sundays only happen once a week?

recipe adapted from Breakfast by Williams-sonoma

about 16 pancakes

• Flour - 2 cups
• Sugar - 4 tablespoons
• Baking powder - 2 teaspoons
• Baking soda - 1 1/2 teaspoon
• Salt - 1/2 teaspoon
• Milk - 1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons
• Eggs, lightly whisked - 2
• Butter, melted - 2 tablespoons
• Blueberries, fresh or frozen - 1 1/2 cups
• Oil for frying

- In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir until well mixed and make a well in the centre.
- Pour the eggs, the ilk, and melted butter in the well, then gradually whisk from the centre outward, until the ingredients are wll combined but still a little lumpy.
- Do not (!!!) overmix the batter, or the pancakes will be heavy and tough.
- Very gently stir in the blueberries. The batter will be thick.
- Preheat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
- Brush it with oil.
- Slowly ladle 1/4 cup of batter onto the skillet.
- When the pancakes begin to bubble in the centre and the undersides are golden, after about 2 minutes, flip them
- Cool until the second side is golden, about 1 minute longer.