SNOWMAN PANCAKES! (Gluten, dairy, corn, wheat soy free and vegan option available)

‘Tis the season! While we want to ensure we keep up our healthy eating lifestyle going into the New Year, part of that requires treating yourself to some of your favorite holiday treats (in moderation of course)! As someone with a range of food allergies and sensitivities, many times I struggle to try and find options for some of these fun treats I can eat and I know many others who have this problem themselves or when they have kids with multiple allergies. This recipe is free of a wide range of allergens and preservatives and still manages to taste great! Note, the mix itself is generally free of other allergens that aren’t listed so there is plenty of room for substitutions based on your needs!Ingredients:

• 1 cup of Palema’s non-dairy pancake mix (Gluten free, sprouted whole grains+ vegan)
• 4 TBSP egg whites (can also use 2 eggs or your favorite vegan egg replacer)
• 1 cup flax milk (or other milk alternative, eg. Almond milk, rice milk, water, etc)
• 2 TBSP oil (I used olive oil, plan to have some extra oil or cooking spray to prevent sticking)
• 1-2 TBSP Penzeys Pumpkin pie spice mix (includes china cassia cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, ginger, mace, and cloves)
• Add-ins or toppings of your choice (I used almonds, raisins, and almond butter, but for nut allergies or preference other options may be used!)
• 2 Spoons- for decorative aspect of the snowman

(Yield: 12 4-inch pancakes/large snowman + one small pancake/approx. 4-6 servings)Recipe:

• Pre-heat pans on stove or griddle to medium heat
• Mix all ingredients other than add-ins into a medium sized mixing bowl until it appears like a well mixed batter
• Once batter is well mixed add any ingredients you want to be cooked in the pancake into batter (eg I mixed in 1 TBSP of almond butter and a large handful of almonds and raisins)
• Allow batter to sit for 1-2 minutes.
• Lightly coat griddle or pans with oil to prevent pancake from sticking. (*Note ensure you make 3 different size pancakes if your goal is the pancake snow man. This can be done on a griddle, although I used 3 different sized pans)
• Pour batter into pans or on griddle in desired sizes, watch for batter to begin bubbling and puff up, flip and cook until bottom is golden brown (approx an extra 2 minutes). Keep a close eye to prevent burning either side.
• Remove from cooking surface
• Re-oil and repeat for any remaining batter
• Once pancakes are ready place on baking sheet or multiple plates allow to cool slightly, then decorate!
• To create the image above I used a light layer of almond butter on each pancake, almonds for eyes and nose, topping eyes with raisins and using raisins for buttons, hair, and mouth. Place spoons on either side of the belly as arms
• Get creative! Use ingredients of your choice to decorate if these ones are not your favorites!
• Serve and enjoy!
• (make sure you split this and any extra pancakes between multiple people or save leftovers to stay on your healthy eating track with moderation in mind)

**Adjusted from Pamela’s Non-dairy pancake mix provided recipeI hope you enjoy this fun holiday recipe!If you do try this recipe feel free to share your results or experiences, we’d love to see what you come up with!Wishing you a fantastic week and a Happy New Year!-Ricci-Lee Hotz, MS, RDNDenver’s Dancing DietitianA Taste of Health, LLC“Improving Quality of life one bite at a time”