UPDATE: Some may find these pancakes a little thin. I suggest adding up to two tablespoons of flour.
Hello, Darlings,
Today's pancakes recipe are truly a renal patient dream. The
homemade baking soda used in it does not contain sodium aluminum sulfate, monocalcium
phosphate, and is also gluten-free.
I updated my homemade baking soda and pancakes recipes
after reading Maya's article Grain-Free
Paleo Baking Powder Recipe. As I stated in my Freedom Pancake recipe, I
wanted to do a test with this baking powder substitute. However, first I had to
figure out the exact measurements for using it in pancakes because if your
pancakes are not right, don’t expect your cakes to be.
The
standard recipe for the paleo baking powder is one part baking soda, one part
arrowroot, and two parts cream of tartar. While in some other recipes it is one
part baking soda, two-part cream of tartar and one part corn starch. None of
them stated the exact teaspoon or tablespoon amount of these ingredients to
use. However, after more research I did
the math, and then came up with the exact amount of substitute ingredient to
use in the pancakes that I believe will work as well in other recipes requiring
baking powder (recipe below).
Most
of the recipes for homemade baking powders I saw online contain monocalcium
phosphate and sodium aluminum sulfate
which is standard, and ingredients I can safely eliminate or reduce from my
diet.
The
other ingredients that I needed to eliminate or reduce are sodium chloride, cholesterol, lactose, and some
other gas-forming foods.
Although, renal disease is no longer a major concern, eliminating or
reducing the amount of sodium chloride in my
diet to decrease my BP and cholesterol levels is fine. Furthermore, I also
reduced the amount of gas formed in drinking regular cow’s milk, beans, and
cabbage by drinking lactose-free milk, substituting it with rice milk, and
adding a large onion in beans and cabbage, which are two other staple foods in
our diet; so some amount of flatulence is understandable
Maintaining
acceptable BP and Cholesterol levels is an on-going dietary health issue for
me. Therefore, my commitment to
eliminating or reducing as many of the ingredients that work adversely is the
reason for my wanting to perfect this pancake recipe and when perfecting the homemade
baking powder is of major importance in terms of volume and taste of the
pancakes. This commitment also works well in my weight loss diet. By which I
can eat what I like but in smaller caloric amounts.
While
I love eating diets with a lot of fresh and frozen vegetables and fruits, I
also love pasta, meats, fish and seafood. The latter being higher in sodium,
but is okay in moderation, and goes far in balancing out our diet at home,
which also means I minimize the amount of canned, boxed, process and takeout foods to keep these
unwanted ingredients low whenever possible.
I
know; I have deeply digressed.
In
conclusion, any recipe I cook has gone through intent research of not only its
caloric contents but a close look at all its other major ingredients and
inserts as well. Therefore, for me a recipe with ingredients substitution and
perfection includes a good batch of pancakes.
1
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1
– 1-1/2 tbsps light brown sugar
2-1/4
tsps arrowroot baking powder substitute
1/4
tsp salt
3/4
cup rice milk, original or unsweetened
2 tbsps cooking oil,
Margarine or butter
2
egg whites
Directions
1. In
a medium bowl combine the flour, brown sugar, arrowroot baking powder, and salt
2. In
medium bowl or mixer add milk, egg
cooking oil to and mix until well blended
3. Stir
into flour mixture just until moistened or remove lumps
4. If
the mixture is too thick add a little more rice milk
5. Add
a cooking spray, butter, or margarine
6. For
each pancake, pour ¼ cup of the mixture onto preheated 350°F
to 365°F nonstick-coated electric skillet
7. Turn
over when bubbles form on the surface golden browned
Makes 6 pancakes
Ingredients:
1/4 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Cream of Tartar
1/4 tsp Cornstarch (or Arrowroot
Powder)
Directions:
Mix the three ingredients together to make
one teaspoon.
.
Cook’s Note: This recipe can also be
made with one tablespoon baking soda, one tablespoon arrowroot, and two
tablespoon cream of tartar to make four ounces of arrowroot baking powder that
will last about one month in an airtight jar. I used my spice grinder to make sure
all the small lumps were grounded up to blend in well with the rest of the
ingredients.
Moreover,
while normal Betty Crocker pancakes, to which this recipe was adapted from, use
3 teaspoons of regular baking powder, this arrowroot baking powder only uses
2-1/4 teaspoons. However, both methods made pancakes of very similar
taste.
In other
words, this baking powder substitute is not an equal one to one substitute for
regular baking powder, which is why I added its recipe. I would venture to say
that the same would be true in using it to bake cakes and other baked goods
needing some form of baking powder. However, trial and error always make for
perfection in cooking.
Click links above for recipe downloads
As the old
saying goes: “If it doesn’t kill you, …..”
Until next
time,
Chow,
Darlings.
