Lest you think your pumpkin spice (everything) obsession began and ended with your coffee order, healthy chef Lily Kunin has created another delicious way to incorporate the seasonal blend into your breakfast routine. Here the Clean Food Dirty City founder and Well+Good Council member shares her fave fall pancake recipe.

When I first started cutting out gluten, my mind was hardwired to avoid anything that contained the word “wheat.” But then I discovered buckwheat, which is low on the glycemic scale and helps balance your blood sugar. Plus, it’s high in protein and fiber, so it supports digestion and keeps you full and energized longer.

Because of its slightly nutty and cinnamon flavor, buckwheat is one of my favorite gluten-free flours for baking—it’s actually a seed, BTW. When you incorporate it into a pancake recipe, the result is a lighter and fluffier flapjack. I prefer a darker flour—buckwheat flours differ in color from light to dark, and the darker the color the stronger the taste, FYI—which makes the batter more fiber- and protein-rich.

Scroll down for my high-protein, high-fiber pumpkin spice pancakes recipe.

Pumpkin Spice Pancakes

Yields 10 servings

IngredientsPancakes1 cup buckwheat flour2 tsp pumpkin pie spice1 tsp baking powder1/2 tsp baking soda1/4 tsp pink salt or sea salt2 eggs (can sub with flax eggs to make vegan)1/2 cup pumpkin puree1 cup unsweetened almond milk1 dash of pure vanilla3 Tbsp coconut oil

Toppings1 sprinkle pecans, pepitas, or coconut flakes, toasted1 Tbsp maple syrup

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

2. In a blender, mix the eggs with the pumpkin puree, 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 1/4 cup of the batter into the pan. Cook for 2–3 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!

Plant-based cook and health coach Lily Kunin is the founder of Clean Food Dirty City and the author of the cookbook Good Clean Food. With her trademark less-is-more approach, Kunin is all about making irresistibly clean, wholesome food—using dairy-free and gluten-free ingredients.

What should Lily write about next? Send your questions and suggestions to [email protected].