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Since starting the low fodmap diet I have been eating a whole lot of rice. In general that is fine because I like rice but, with the discussion of arsenic levels in it, I don’t want to make it a twice a day part of my diet like it was the first week. If you would like to read more about arsenic and rice the FDA and consumer reports have some good information on it. A lot of this information applies more to pregnant women and children but it is still interesting. To sum it up they pretty much say it isn’t a huge concern for healthy adults and just be aware of where your rice is coming from. This can be difficult for products like rice cakes, rice noodles, and other pre-made rice products so eating a balanced diet of grains is always advised. I am trying to heed that advice! Plus it makes eating and cooking more fun to try lots of things.

There are lots of other grain options: quinoa, buckwheat, corn flour, cornmeal, and oats for example. Each have their own “ideal” applications so for a fun weekend breakfast I decided to work with cornmeal and corn flour first. I fell in love with cornmeal pancakes through Johnnycakes. We made them once in elementary school when we had a “colonial day” where we all dressed up in colonial attire and had different jobs that might exist in colonial times (I was a glass blower who made lanterns out of tin cans…surprise I didn’t get to actually blow glass in our multipurpose room at 10). The “baker” in town made johnnycakes for us to purchase. I have no idea if the ones they made were at all historically accurate but I fell in love with them for their slightly mealy texture and minimal sweetness. I tried to copy that idea with these pancakes. I am really not a normal sweet pancake person at all but these I will eat for pretty much every meal. I am already thinking of other ways I could use them at this very moment.

And no Tycho is not allowed on the table when we eat. I just enjoy him interacting with me in pictures. He has his own chair that he sits at between the two of us for every meal. Not kidding:

Cornmeal Pancakes

Makes about 6 small (3 inch circumference) pancakes

½ cup corn flour*
¼ cup cornmeal
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons coconut oil (melted)
½ cup coconut milk**
½ tablespoon maple syrup
1 egg
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Combine corn flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt in a medium sized bowl.
2.  In another bowl, add egg to coconut milk and beat until fully combined. Add maple syrup and vanilla extract, stir.
3. Stir melted coconut oil into dry ingredients and then slowly add the wet ingredients, stirring lightly as you go. Mix until almost fully combined. There may be some lumps but this is fine.
4. Set pancake mixture aside and turn on pan/cast iron/whatever you like to use to cook pancakes. I heat up my flat cast iron Le Creuset*** on medium heat for a few minutes then turn the heat down to low. Add coconut oil in a thin layer over pan.
5. For pancakes the size in my pictures, place just under ¼ cup scoop of batter on the pan. Smooth out slightly to desired size. The batter is pretty thick and will want to stay clumped together. Continue to place pancakes until pan is full. You can make any size pancakes you want of course!
6. Let pancakes cook until you can see bubbles all over the top of the pancake or the sides of the pancakes begin to look cooked (which will happen first if they are thicker), about 4 minutes. Then flip.
7. Cook 4 more minutes on other side. Times will differ depending on your stove/surface you are cooking on.
8. Remove from pan and eat as soon as you can! If you can’t eat right away store them in the oven on a low temperature (150°F or so).

Notes:

* If you don’t have corn flour you can take cornmeal and blend it down. This will create a finer textured cornmeal and substitutes well enough.

** If you are usually full fat coconut milk from the can (which is the only type I buy) the batter will be REALLY thick. I would advice one of two things:

1. If you are using canned milk, without guar gum as this will keep the cream from separating, do not shake the can before opening. Open the can, remove the solid coconut cream and put it in a separate container and then use the water and milk left in the can. This will result in a less thick coconut milk. You can then use the cream for other things, like coconut maple cream for pancakes/waffles pictured below or whipped coconut cream! If you want more cream you can cool the cans before hand. This separates the cream and liquid more and makes the process easier but results in less coconut milk in the liquid.
2. Rather than ½ coconut milk use 1/3 cup full fat coconut milk then fill the measuring cup up the rest of the way to ½ cup with water. This will create a thinner coconut milk.

** Somehow this pan doesn’t exist anymore. I can’t find it anywhere online but I love it. I use it for quesadillas and pancakes all the time. Any flat pan will work fine though.

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