No-Chocolate Challenge: Day 4 - Denying the chocolate chip pancake

So, today was a little harder with the no-chocolate challenge.  I kind of shot myself in the foot by promising my kids I would make them pancakes this morning, because invariably they ask for chocolate chip pancakes.  I was kind of hoping that we wouldn't have any chocolate chips on hand, but, of course, we did - three-quarters of a bag of Ghiradelli dark chocolate chips.  So, I made the kids their pancakes and then searched for an equally good alternative for my own....  What I came up with? Date and walnut pancakes.  They were very good, and I even made myself clean the melted chocolate off of the spatula before flipping my 'jacks.

Chocolate Chip Pancakes BEFORE

Chocolate Chip Pancakes AFTER

Chocolate Chip Pancakes REALLY AFTER

Preparing the dates and walnuts

Date and walnut pancakes DONE and DELICIOUS!

Basic Vegan Pancake Recipe:

1 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup ground flax seed

1/4 cup oatmeal

1/4 cup sugar

2 TBSP baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

3 tsp Ener-G egg replacer

4 TBSP warm water

1 1/2 cups soymilk (plus some extra) - I use Silk unsweetened.

1/4 cup vegetable oil

Mix-ins of choice (have done chocolate chips, blueberries, dates, walnuts)

Stir together the first eight ingredients in large bowl.  Mix together the Ener-G and water in small bowl.  Add the soymilk and oil and stir to mix.  Add the liquid mixture to the dry and whisk together. Add enough additional soymilk to make a pourable batter.  Pour the batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto a non-stick hot griddle.  Turn when bubbles form on top.  Done when both sides are golden brown.