Beet and Date Pancakes
Beets bring iron, powerful antioxidants, and a distinctive sweetness to whatever you're making. But let's talk about their real party trick: that fantastic pink color. These pancakes aren't going unnoticed.
Pairing dates with beets adds extra sweetness, along with a welcome boost of fiber.
Make these pancakes for a Saturday morning breakfast, or anytime you want to impress someone special. Breakfast for a fancy dinner date? I'm not ruling it out.
A Few Tips for Beet and Date Pancakes
- I used a fresh beet, peeled and cooked in a pot of hot water for about 15 minutes. You can also microwave it or use a vacuum-packed cooked beet. Any of those options works.
- For a little extra sweetness—these are pancakes, after all—I added 4 dates and half a banana. You can skip the dates entirely and add another half banana on top of the amount listed in the recipe.
- The base is oat flour, which I make by blending quick oats for a few seconds until they're finely ground.
- Vegan yogurt is a big part of what gives these pancakes their texture. I used a no-added-sugar soy yogurt from Tnuva (a major Israeli dairy and soy brand). Use whatever vegan yogurt you have on hand.
- A great egg substitute here is a "flax egg" – freshly ground flaxseed mixed with a little water. It binds everything together so you get pancakes that hold their shape. Chia seeds work in place of the flaxseed, too.
- You don't need to fry these in a pool of oil. A good nonstick skillet and half a teaspoon of oil will do the job.
- I served my beet and date pancakes with vegan yogurt on top, dried beet, and plenty of maple syrup.
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Beet and Date Pancake Nutrition
Each Pancake, From a Batch of 10, Contains:
- 134 calories
- 5 g protein
- 23 g carbohydrates
- 2.6 g fat
- 2.5 mg iron
Beet and Date Pancakes
Ingredients
- 2 cups oats 200 g (7 oz)
- 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon flaxseed 20 g (0.7 oz)
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) water 3 tablespoons
- 1 container no-added-sugar soy yogurt 125 g (4.4 oz)
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- 1 beet peeled and cubed
- 1/2 banana
- 4 pitted dates
- A little oil for the skillet
For Serving
- 1 container soy yogurt
- A little maple syrup
Instructions
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Grind the flaxseed in a spice grinder. In a small bowl, mix it with 3 tablespoons of water and set aside until thickened. This flax mixture will help bind all the pancake ingredients together.
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In a food processor fitted with the steel blade, grind the oats with the baking powder until you have a fine, flour-like powder. You can also use a blender.
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Once the oats are finely ground, transfer the flour mixture to a bowl and set aside.
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Place the cubed beet in a microwave-safe glass bowl, cover, and microwave for 7 minutes, until tender.
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Alternatively, roast the beet in the oven for 20 minutes at 180°C (350°F).
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If you're using a vacuum-packed cooked beet, there's no need to cook it first.
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Add the cooked beet, pitted dates, banana, flax mixture, yogurt, vanilla extract, and salt to the food processor.
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Process thoroughly until the mixture is moist and very smooth.
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If the mixture is dry, add a little yogurt or soy milk.
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Gradually stir in the oat flour mixture. You can also use the food processor to blend everything into a smooth batter.
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Heat a good nonstick skillet with a little oil.
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Spoon a tablespoon of pancake batter into the skillet and cook over low heat until browned, about 2–3 minutes.
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Using a spatula and fork, flip the pancake and cook the other side.
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Serve with soy yogurt and maple syrup.
