Give your pancakes a buckwheat makeover with this recipe

Whipping up a tall stack of pancakes with all the fixin’s is basically a special occasion in and of itself. But while you may usually reserve this timeless dish for lazy Saturday mornings or breakfast-for dinner-nights with your gal pals, one stellar ingredient, which you can totally swap for flour, might just change your mind.

Meet buckwheat: The uber-nutritional ingredient that will soon monopolize your alt-flour panty space. The very first thing you need to know about this superfood? “Although its name is misleading, buckwheat does not contain any wheat and is technically a seed, not a grain,” says Stephanie Middleberg, an NYC-based nutritionist. Thanks to the misnomer, some of the gluten-free community doesn’t know that seed is a-okay to eat, but according to Bonnie Taub-Dix, RDN, creator of Better Than Dieting and author of Read It Before You Eat It: Taking You from Label to Table, it’s safe and nutritious for grain-free and and grain-eating folks alike. (Score!)

“Although its name is misleading, buckwheat does not contain any wheat and is technically a seed, not a grain.” – Stephanie Middleberg, NYC-based nutritionist

This baking staple packs four grams of protein and about six percent of your daily iron recommendation, but according to Taub-Dix, its greatest asset is its three grams of water soluble fiber. “Foods that have water soluble fiber could help with cholesterol lowering. Fruits are the same way, believe it or not,” she says, adding that fiber is also super heart healthy.

Besides keeping your digestive track moving, Middleberg adds that buckwheat has quite the list of other benefits as well. “It’s high in magnesium which is excellent for optimal digestive health, muscle growth and repair, and fighting the negative effects of stress,” she explains. It’s also high in manganese, which helps you build strong bones and up your collagen production, which is oh-so-good for your skin. So if all those nutrient-dense assets aren’t worth flipping (some flapjacks) for, I don’t know what is.

Keep reading for an easy-peasy buckwheat pancake recipe.

Follow these easy steps for buckwheat pancakes you’ll want to make every. single. day.

Yields 10 servings

IngredientsPancakes1 cup buckwheat flour2 tsp cinnamon1 1/2 tsp baking soda1/4 tsp pink salt or sea salt2 eggs (can sub with flax eggs to make vegan)1/2 cup applesauce1 cup unsweetened almond milk1 dash of pure vanilla3 Tbsp coconut oil

Toppings1 sprinkle pepitas or coconut flakes, toasted1 Tbsp maple syrup

1. In a large bowl, combine the buckwheat flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

2. In a blender, mix the eggs with the apple sauce, almond milk, and vanilla. (You can also beat them by hand.)

3. Combine the wet mixture with your dry ingredients until incorporated.

4. Heat coconut oil in a pan over medium heat. Spoon about one-fourth cup of the batter into the pan. Cook for two to three minutes on each side. Repeat until you’ve used all the batter, adding coconut oil to the pan in between batches as necessary.

5. Serve with the toasted nuts and maple syrup, if desired. Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from this original post which was published on September 16, 2017. 

Of course, you’ll need some caffeine to go with your stack of flapjacks. Here’s how to biohack your morning cup of joe and how to master your matcha-making skills.