Sunday Morning Almond Pancakes and Blueberry Sauce {with speech snacks for ‘WH’ questions}

 

Almond Pancakes

Almonds are an incredible source of vitamins and minerals, namely Vitamin E and manganese. They are packed with many important B-complex vitamins such as riboflavin, niacin, thiamine, panothenic acid, vitamin B-6, and folate.

Almonds are GLUTEN FREE!  It’s the perfect alternative for parents following a gluten and casein free (GFCF) diet for their children.

For this recipe, you will need ALMOND MEAL (Almond meal is finely crushed almonds–that’s all!) or Almond Flour (as long as it is 100% almonds!)    I use almond meal as a substitute in many recipes that call for white flour and/or bread crumbs.

 

 

Ingredients:

1 cup almond meal

3 large eggs

1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4-1/2 cup almond milk, coconut milk or rice milk (all casein free)  Substitute dairy if you are not following a strict GFCF plan.

3 Tbsp. Agave sweetener or honey

 

 Mix all ingredients together until a batter forms. (Batter will be thick. Use 1/4-1/2 cup milk to thin the batter. Pour batter onto a buttered or greased skillet over medium heat until both sides are golden brown

 

 

 

This recipe will make 15-20 small-medium sized pancakes

 

A quick and simple blueberry syrup is delicious with these pancakes–and blueberries will provide some extra health benefits, namely antioxidants and vitamin C. Add 1 cup frozen blueberries to a pan and warm over low heat. Add 1/4 cup of agave nectar, honey or pure maple syrup. (Alternatively, if blueberries are in season, add 1/2-1 cup of fresh berries to your pancake batter!)

 Complete this meal with gluten-free, casein free, nitrate free turkey bacon….perfect for serving children on a GFCF diet!!!

 

 

Today’s “Speech Snacks“:

• Let your kids help with counting, measuring and mixing the ingredients

• Compare the DRY ingredients to the WET mixture

• ASK THEM:”What happens when we add the milk?”

• Put some butter on the heated skillet and watch it melt

• ASK:“Why is the butter melting?”
  

• Pour the batter on the skillet

• ASK: “What happened to the batter?” and “How does the pancake look different when it’s flipped?”

• Have your kids use their FIVE SENSES while making the pancakes and ask: WHAT do you hear? What do you see?” “How does it smell?” “How do they taste?” “How do they feel?”

• ASK: “What shape is a pancake?” Name some other objects that are shaped like a circle to work on CATEGORIZATION and VOCABULARY BUILDING

Here are some great stories to have fun reading with your kids about PANCAKES!

Pancakes for Breakfast by Tomie dePaola

Pancakes, Pancakes by Eric Carle

Pancakes for Findus by Sven Nordqvist

Pancake Dreams by Ingmarie Ahvander

If you Give a Pig a Pancake by Laura Numeroff

Curious George Makes Pancakes by Margaret and H. A. Rey