Lactose Free Pancakes

The Joy of Cooking basic pancake recipe has been my family's go-to as far back as I can remember. There's something about the thin, vanilla-scented pancakes that is super addictive. But like most pancakes, the recipe has plenty of milk and butter. Since high school I've become increasingly intolerant to lactose, a sugar found in milk and most dairy products. Of course I still want to have pancakes for breakfast every now and then, so I modified the recipe and came up with an equally delicious, lactose free version! 

Lactose Free Pancakes

Adapted from the "Basic Pancakes" recipe in The Joy of Cooking

Makes about twelve 5" pancakes

Combine in a large bowl

1½ cups all-purpose flour

3 Tablespoons sugar

1½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

Whisk together in another bowl (or if you're lazy like me, dump straight into the flour mixture)

1½ cups lactose free milk or other milk alternative

3 Tablespoons melted coconut oil

2 eggs

generous ½ teaspoon vanilla

The coconut oil will probably harden when it's mixed with the cold liquids since it becomes a solid below 75°F. If this happens, break it up into as small pieces as you can and don't worry if it stays a little lumpy. Pour the liquids into the flour mix and stir until just combined. 

Heat a little coconut oil in a frying pan and pour about ⅓ cup of batter to make one pancake. Cook until you see bubbles on the top side of the pancake, then flip and cook until the other side is brown. These pancakes are so good I usually eat them plain, but syrup or yogurt doesn't hurt! Yogurt is naturally low in lactose, but there are a fair number of totally lactose free options including Yami and certain Yoplait yogurts.

Super (Bento) Bowl

In anticipation of the Seahawks appearance at Superbowl 49, I decided to make a Hawks themed bento for lunch. I think the bento ended up being pretty cute, but I need to learn how to make tastier bentos. I got tired of eating blue rice after a few bites...

To make the football, I hardboiled an egg, peeled it, and used this recipe to color and season it. Turns out hard boiled eggs make pretty nice footballs! The laces were made from tiny slices of provolone. Kale and broccoli salad lent green hues and nutrients to the meal while celery sticks separated the salad from the rice.

Since there aren't too many blue foods to begin with (let alone in season!) I opted for AmeriColor food coloring in Sky Blue to dye the rice Seahawks blue. I mixed in gomashio sprinkles to give the plain rice some flavor. The 12 was cut out of more provolone and backed with seaweed to look like the 12th man flags that are all over town these days. 

Go Hawks!