100 Pancake Challenge
If you’ve been keeping up with my Insta stories lately (@makandhercheese), then you may be wondering about my absurd level of pancake consumption. There is a meaning to the madness. At orientation in late July, the upperclassmen explained time management to us bumbling first-years using a compelling analogy: Life in medical school is like eating 100 pancakes. If you try to cram them down all at once, you’ll be unable to finish and miserable; but just a few at a time means contentment, minimal panic, and “mmmmmm, pancakes.” Plus you need to intersperse your school pancakes with your social pancakes, family pancakes, health pancakes, self-care pancakes…
Seems like a sound line of reasoning to me. But just to make sure the analogy holds up, I decided to test it by actually eating 100 pancakes in a semester. Twelve weeks in and I am going strong on number EIGHTY-FOUR. This may be turning into one of my biggest successes in med school.
Sweet Potato Pancakes
One of the many splendid consequences of the pancake challenge has been motivation to create new recipes to ensure I don’t get burnt out with banana peanut butter on repeat. (Just like I need to attend to my relationship pancakes, exercise pancakes, outdoor pancakes, community pancakes…)
Thus with this glorious surge of fall weather, I present to you these magical sweet potato chocolate chip pancakes. They’re made with cooked sweet potato (the perfect use for leftovers!), buttermilk, and white whole wheat flour (100% whole grain!) for an EPIC thick, soft, pillowy and filling texture. Just a touch of almond oil, egg whites, and natural sweetener keeps them light and balanced, but the flavors and toppings scream indulgence–cinnamon, ginger, cloves, vanilla, chocolate chips (a necessity for any pancake), maple mascarpone, fragrant toasty pecans. Get ready to fall in love.
Plus, using leftover sweet potato means they come together in just minutes! Busy-weekday-morning-approved.
- 1/4 cup cooked sweet potato, mashed
- 1/2 cup reduced fat buttermilk
- 2 egg whites
- 1 tsp oil*
- 2-3 packets natural sweetener (such as monk fruit)**
- pinch sea salt
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 75g white whole wheat flour (scant 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp)
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 12g chocolate chips (such as Lily's)
- 2 Tbsp mascarpone
- 2 tsp maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp vanilla
- 10g pecans
- In a mixing bowl, mash the sweet potato and combine with the buttermilk, egg whites, oil, sweetener, salt, spices, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth and consistent. Then add the flour, baking soda, and baking powder; stir just until incorporated (don't over-mix). Finally fold in the chocolate chips.
- Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium heat, nonstick or greased if necessary. In batches, spoon out the batter to form pancakes. Cook until little bubbles start form on top; flip and cook until golden brown. Makes enough batter for 6 medium pancakes.
- To make the maple mascarpone, simply stir together the mascarpone, maple syrup, and vanilla. Lightly toast the pecans in the hot skillet or a toaster oven until fragrant, then chop.
- Serve pancakes with a drizzle of maple mascarpone and chopped pecans.
- *Neutral almond, avocado, or coconut oil work well.
- **equivalent to 4-6 tsp sugar
