Weekly Recipe #62: Gluten-Free Blueberry Pancakes

By Jeanne Foels, Marketing & Outreach Coordinator

You've probably heard the term gluten-free, but what exactly does it mean?

Gluten is a protein naturally found in wheat, barley and rye. It is also used as a food additive to flavor, stabilize or thicken many processed foods.

A gluten-free diet is a necessity for people with celiac disease, in which gluten causes inflammation of the small intestines. In addition, many people these days find themselves intolerant or allergic to gluten to some extent, and so reduce the amount they consume. Going gluten-free is also something of a trend for people without an allergy or even physical intolerance.

As a result of increased demand, gluten-free products are more diverse and easier to find these days. Gluten-free beer, cereal, pizza and pasta are now on the market. Even bread and other baked goods can be made gluten-free with a variety of alternative flours made from sources like almonds, buckwheat, rice and chickpeas.

The following pancake recipe from Open Arms Chef and Baker Rita Panton calls on tapioca flour (which can be found at your local co-op) and corn to replace traditional white flour.


Gluten-Free Blueberry Pancakes
Adapted from a recipe by Mary Ann Wenniger

(Yields 12 pancakes)

1/2 cup tapioca flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup honey or sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
dash nutmeg
1 1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs, separated
2 tbsp. yogurt
3 tbsp. butter, melted
1 cup blueberries

1. Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl.
2. In a second bowl, combine egg yolks, buttermilk, yogurt and melted butter and whisk until blended.
3. Add the bowl of wet ingredients to the bowl of dry ingredients and stir until just mixed.
4. Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold into the batter. Add blueberries.
5. Lightly coat a skillet with butter or oil. Heat over medium heat. For each pancake, pour 1/4 cup of pancake batter into the pan. Flip after two minutes or when bubbles form in the batter.

Weekly Recipe #61: West African Peanut Soup

By Jeanne Foels, Marketing & Outreach Coordinator

I've become a bit of an evangelist on behalf of this soup, to the point where it's getting embarrassing. I'm obsessed with pureed soups, peanuts and sweet potatoes, and this recipe has it all! The sweet + savory combination is my favorite, and the hint of spice is icing on the cake. Naturally, this soup came to mind when Asei, Joaquin and I were plotting our Soup-a-Palooza entry. We're glad you liked it!

For years this creamy soup been my go-to dish to feed a crowd, whether for dinner parties, weekend trips or potlucks, and there's usually a batch of it in my freezer for quick weeknight meals.  Healthy, economical and just different enough to be interesting, it just might become a staple in your house, too.

Make it the day before a potluck or a weekend at the cabin -- like many soups, the flavors only get better the day after. Plus, it freezes beautifully!


West African Peanut Soup
(Serves ~8)

2 cups onions, chopped
1 tbsp. peanut or vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. cayenne or other ground dried chiles
1 tsp. fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1 cup carrots, chopped
2 cups sweet potatoes, chopped
4 cups vegetable stock or coconut milk
2 cups tomato juice
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1 tbsp. sugar
1 cup scallions or chives, chopped

1. Saute onions in the oil until translucent. Stir in cayenne and fresh ginger.
2. Add the carrots and saute a few more minutes.
3. Mix in the sweet potatoes and stock or coconut milk. Bring soup to boil and simmer for 15 minutes, until vegetables are tender.
4. Carefully transfer the vegetables to a blender or food processor with the cooking liquid. Add tomato juice and puree until fairly smooth. You may need to perform this step in several batches.
5. Return puree to a soup pot. Stir in peanut butter until smooth.
6. Taste soup, and add a little bit of sugar if the natural sweetness from sweet potatoes and carrots isn't enough. Serve topped with scallions.