The Staples

As far as actual cooking goes, I've really relied on Silvana Nardone's cookbook, Cooking for Isaiah. You can find her wonderful website here!- http://silvanaskitchen.com/ . The two things I have used the most so far, beyond the actual recipes, are her flour recipes. In order to not feel like I'm missing out, I really needed to find a way to make those baked goods: breads, pancakes, cookies, and so much more. Cooking for Isaiah includes a recipe for regular every-day use flour, as well as a special pancake flour recipe. If you are looking for an easy way to start baking gluten-free, I really recommend this cookbook.

This morning, I was absolutely craving pancakes. And banana bread. So all I really wanted was to make banana pancakes. Tragically, our last banana had mysteriously disappeared in the night. At my mother's suggestion, I replaced it with a grated apple, which worked beautifully. Here is the recipe I used, modified from Cooking for Isaiah. For those of you who are rookie cooks like myself, you might find my commentary in italics helpful. If you are a more seasoned cook, I apologize in advance.

Apple Pancakes with Cinnamon Syrup:

Cinnamon Syrup: 

• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup water

In a saucepan, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon and water, and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce until thickened, about ten minutes.
I took a little bit longer on the syrup, so it was still really hot when I put it out for the pancakes. Watch out for sugar burns! 


Pancakes:

• 2 cups of Silvana's Pancake Mix( from Cooking for Isaiah)
• 1 grated apple
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 & 1/2 cups soy milk
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

In a medium bowl, stir the pancake mix/flour, grated apple, vanilla, egg, milk, oil, and cinnamon until combined. This batter will be thicker than you expect. Do not panic! It's supposed to be like that. Heat a large nonstick pan, and lightly grease with vegetable oil. Make sure your pan is hot before you put the oil in, and also make sure that it is well greased. The batter is a little bit stickier than regular pancakes. Pour the pancake batter in about 1/3 cup at a time, and cook each side until golden brown( 2-3 minutes). Serve the pancakes with the cinnamon syrup, and enjoy!!!