Spelt Flour Pancakes with Ginger Date Caramel, Toasted Pecans & Fresh Pear

These spelt flour pancakes are my new favourite pancake!!!! They are so delicious, and no more difficult to prepare than any other pancake. Spelt flour is a species of wheat that has been cultivated since 5000 BC. Compared to regular wheat it has a lower amount of gluten and a higher level of protein. It is also water soluble which makes it easier for the body to digest and absorb it's nutrients. It is a wholegrain flour that is most able to mimic all purpose white flour in cooking. I honestly was so impressed with the flavour and texture of these pancakes, so this fact is not surprising to me. A bit of nuttiness as it's a whole grain flour, but it wasn't as dense as regular whole wheat flour. Try swapping 25% of your all purpose flour with spelt in baked goods. I definitely would use it in muffins or fruit crisps. 

Nutritional Breakdown of Spelt flour
In 1 cup of spelt flour (amount used in this recipe)

Carlories : 480 cal
Fat : 4 grams
Carbs 88 grams
Protein : 16 grams
Fiber : 16 grams

Vitamins and minerals
Spelt flour contains vitamins B, E and is a source of magnesium, calcium, potassium & Iron. 
Iron is often thought of to be something we need meat in order to have sufficient levels but it is also found in beans, lentils, and vegetables. Iron aids blood circulation in the body, helps to metabolize proteins and is involved in the production of hemoglobin and red blood cells in the body. Hemoglobin is a part of red blood cells that carry oxygen and remove carbon dioxide (a waste product) from the body. Low iron levels can cause anemia. Consuming iron rich plant based foods (and apparently pairing it with vitamin C) can help prevent and treat anemia, though supplementation may be necessary for some people. 

Quick chat about Date Caramel.
If you haven't made date caramel before, let me tell you, it's easy AF and is life changing. Blend up dates with water or plant milk.....yup, that simple. I added vanilla, salt & fresh ginger to make this lovely caramel that you could use in a variety of contexts. I loved it with these pancakes. Eat it with yogurt, spoon onto vegan ice cream, use in tarts or in any which way. You can make DELICIOUS things using whole foods, and avoid all the processed crap. 
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OK moving on to what you really want, the recipe!

Spelt Flour Pancakes
Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 1 cup spelt flour
• 1 1/4 cup plant milk 
• 1 flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax mixed with 2 tbsp water, let sit 10 min)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp flaked kosher salt
• Garnish: 1 pear, sliced & a handful or two of chopped toasted pecans. 

Method:

1. Add spelt flour, baking powder, baking soda & salt to a bowl.
2. In another small bowl mix together plant milk, lemon juice, olive oil, maple syrup & flax egg. 
3. Whisk wet mix into dry mix to form batter.
4. Cook pancakes in coconut oil over medium heat ( I like to use 1/4 cup of batter at a time). When pancake begins to show bubbles on the top layer, it is ready to flip. Repeat until all of the batter is used up. Top with date caramel, toasted pecans and fresh pears. If desired, you can also add vegan butter and maple syrup to the pancakes for added decadence.

Date Ginger Caramel

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole pitted dates, soaked in hot water for 30 minutes to soften
• 3/4 cup warm water or plant milk (or desired amount until consistency you want)
• splash of vanilla
• small thumb size piece of ginger (also can just add this to taste)
• a couple pinches flaked kosher salt

Method:

1. Use an immersion blender and blend all ingredients until smooth. Taste and adjust consistency, ginger & salt to your liking.