I'm always on the lookout for a satisfying savory breakfast to help keep my blood sugar stable. This recipe, developed for our Spring 5-Day Detox, is my current favorite. And when we encountered a similar dish at a restaurant called Les Filles in London, I knew we had to share this one.
Not just delicious, these savory green pancakes offer a host of nutritional benefits. We love them so much we've even made them into lunch with the addition of a good pizza sauce and some cashew cheese. You could even make them bite size and turn them into a cool appetizer with your favorite topping.
All but one ingredients for this recipe are shelf stable so as long as you have some leafy greens on hand, you can make these in a pinch. I like to make the sauce ahead of time and store in the fridge or freezer for a quick breakfast. Romesco sauce is one of our favorite sauces that goes with so many dishes. We especially like it served with breakfast entrees like frittatas.
Chickpea flour (also known as gram flour or besan) is an easy to use and affordable ingredient. If you can't find any, and have some dried chickpeas on hand, HERE are some relatively simple instructions on how to make your own. Garbanzo beans contain resistance starch, a slow-burning carbohydrate that helps limit blood sugar spikes, which makes this ingredient safe for anyone trying to limit their carb consumption. Chickpeas are rich in vitamins and minerals (including iron, B-vitamins, and zinc) , fiber and are also a good source of protein. Just one cup contains nearly 12 grams of fiber and 12 grams of protein! Be warned that since they contain protein, this flour will have a shorter shelf-life than standard white flour.
Almond flour is made from blanched, peeled, dried, and ground almonds. So it's a bit involved which is why I prefer to purchase this ingredient (pro-tip: buy a big bag at Costco and store in the freezer until ready to use). Almonds are a great source of plant protein, fiber and healthy fats. They also contain important vitamins and minerals, most notably vitamin E and magnesium.
Spinach is notable for as a rich source of plant protein. Just one cup of spinach contains nearly as much protein as one egg! It's also rich in vitamins A, C, K1, B vitamins (folate), iron and calcium. Spinach, is so rich in valuable nutrients, in fact, it is one of the highest raking foods on the ANDI Scale. While being a nutritional superstar, spinach is also rich in oxalates, which makes the nutrient content difficult to absorb so consuming spinach cooked instead of raw is recommended to help aid absorption. Note that spinach consistently ranks at the top of EWG's Dirty Dozen list so we recommend choosing organic whenever possible.
Flaxmeal is made from grinding fresh flax seeds, which is easy to do at home with a spice grinder (one of our favorite kitchen gadgets). Flax seeds are one of the richest sources of anti-inflammatory Omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke. They are also one of the best plant sources of lingans, which may reduce the risk of some cancers, especially breast cancer.
All you need to make these Savory Green Pancakes is:
garbanzo bean (chickpea) flour
almond flour
fresh organic spinach, chard or similar dark leafy greens (we used chard here)
ground flaxmeal
onion powder
baking powder (use aluminum-free)
plant milk of choice (optional)
There are so many possibilities here for serving, These pancakes are delicious on their own but we think they really shine with a savory sauce, like this Easy Romesco Sauce, which comes together in minutes. Just throw everything in a food processor and you're done! To make it even easier, I use store bought roasted red peppers but if you have some fresh ones on hand, feel free to roast and peel them yourself.
And for our Easy Romesco, you'll need:
roasted red peppers (organic if possible)
garlic
almonds
tomato paste
sherry vinegar (can sub apple cider vinegar)
olive oil
smoked or sweet paprika
onion powder
Pink salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
There are many ways to serve and enjoy this dish. Here we are recreating something similar to what we enjoyed at Les Filles in London. There they served the "crepes" with grilled Halloumi cheese, a poached egg and sliced avocado. Here, we are embracing a bit of color (and using what we have on hand), with some roasted cherry tomatoes, a poached egg, and sliced avocado. 100% delish!
So let's get cooking!
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