Baked Gingerbread Pancakes

Do you adore brunch as much as I do? It is so fun to entertain on a Sunday, but the pain of nursing pancakes for a crowd can be challenging. This recipe comes together as fast as a smoothie and comes out of the oven at once so that everyone can eat at the same time. It also provides a nice nutritional balance of slow burning carbs, healthy fats, and protein. The spices are delightful and improve digestion too. Use parchment paper to sped up the cleanup and get everyone into their day.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon   avocado oil, for greasing the dish
5 large             eggs
¼ cup              unsweetened coconut milk
½ cup              unsweetened sunflower seed butter
1 cup               unsweetened applesauce
¼ teaspoon     pure liquid monk fruit or stevia extract
2 teaspoons    baking powder
1 teaspoon     Ceylon cinnamon
½ teaspoon     ground ginger
½ teaspoon    ground nutmeg or allspice
¼ teaspoon     ground turmeric (optional for colour)
Pinch of          unrefined pink salt
½ cup              coconut flour or sunflowerseed flour

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a 13- × 9-inch glass baking dish with unbleached parchment paper. Spread the avocado oil evenly across the paper.

2. Combine the eggs, milk, seed butter, applesauce, monk fruit or stevia, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, turmeric (if using) and salt in a blender. Blend until well mixed. Add the coconut, or nut/seed flour and blend again to combine.

3. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish. Shake to evenly disperse the batter around the dish.

4. Bake for 26 minutes until the top is dry and slightly golden on the edges. Let cool, then cut into 6 to 8 pieces.

5. To serve, top each slice of pancake with your go-to toppings such as fruit, maple syrup or Cha's Organics coconut whipping cream. See the recipe for my fruit compote below. Enjoy!

* Store the pancakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. They freeze well for up to 1 month and refresh nicely when toasted.

* Makes 6-8 square pancakes.

Fruit Compote

Ingredients:

1 1/2 tablespoon   coconut oil
1/2 teaspoon         100% monk fruit extract or 1/4 tsp stevia liquid
3 cups                     choice of oranges, pears or apples, berries, cherries (frozen is fine)
1 tsp                       ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp                    ground ginger

Optional:
1/2 cup                  chopped nuts or seeds

Directions:

1. Melt coconut oil in a pan on the stovetop over medium heat.

2. Add the fruit and spices and then the sweetener. Sauté until soft but still holding its shape. Stir in the nuts or seeds (if using).

3. Serve on top of pancakes or as a nice jam replacement for muffins.

* Makes 1 cup.