I’m a big matcha lover, so I was really happy when the lovely folks over at Aiya America asked me to create a recipe for the blog using their high quality cooking grade matcha powder. It didn’t take much to get the creative juices flowing, and all sorts of green recipes started to pop in my head. Donuts, scones, crêpes, pancakes, cake, smoothies, pudding, you name it. There’s so much more to matcha than tea and latté, and it was easy to feel inspired.
After much deliberation, I finally settled on a pancake recipe. I realized it had been a year since I last posted a pancake recipe on the blog (seriously, how has it already been a year?).
I’ve tested these pancakes a few times, using different types and ratios of flours. I first tried a mixture of gluten-free flours and although the taste was lovely, I ended up having a slight preference for the perfectly moist texture of the oat and spelt flour combo. This is the recipe I’ve decided to share with you here today. If you can’t eat gluten, feel free to replace spelt with your favourite gluten-free flour blend, it will work very well too.
I used half a banana in the pancake mixture to balance out the slightly bitter taste of matcha, and it works like a charm. You can still taste the matcha, without it being too overpowering. For a perfect complement, I’ve paired these pancakes with a delicious plum compote that’s not too sweet and spiced with warming ginger for a bit of kick. The green and red contrast is beautiful, and the flavours just go really well together.
MAGICAL MATCHA
The process of matcha production is quite unique, and it delivers one of the finest, highest quality teas in the world. Matcha powder is made out of high quality green tea leaves, grown in the shade and carefully manipulated by hand. The stems and veins are removed, the leaves are dried and then stone-ground into a fine powder.
Matcha’s health benefits are truly outstanding and it explains why it’s becoming so hugely popular. It’s especially famous for being one of the highest sources of antioxidants (it contains about 15 times the antioxidants in wild blueberries!), which makes it a wonderful anti-cancer and anti-aging food. It contains an impressive array of amino acids, vitamins and minerals. And yes, matcha does contain caffeine, but what makes it unique is its concentration of the amino acid L-theanine, which allows caffeine to be metabolized much more slowly. The result is a stable and sustained energy boost, as opposed to the quick crash that usually comes with drinking coffee.
Not all matcha powders are created equal and there are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to sourcing a good quality matcha. First, make sure to look for a bright green colour – avoid choosing matcha that is yellowish or brownish. The green colour indicates that the levels of chlorophyll in the tea leaves have been preserved, and it usually means it has a higher concentration of nutrients. In terms of texture, the powder should be extremely fine. Its taste should be delicate and not too bitter. Ceremonial grade matcha powder is usually the highest quality you can find (it’s more expensive too) and is destined to drinking it as a tea. If you’re planning on cooking with it and using it in recipes or smoothies, the culinary grade powder will usually be your best value. I used Aiya’s culinary grade matcha powder for this recipe.
If you like this recipe, feel free to pin it to Pinterest. If you make it, make sure to tag your photos with #thegreenlifeblog on Instagram so I can see! And for more inspiration throughout the week, follow me on Nom.
A big thanks to Aiya Matcha for sponsoring this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own. You can find the cooking grade powder I used for this recipe here. Thanks for supporting the brands who support The Green Life!
Vegan Matcha Pancakes + Ginger Plum Compote
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Yields 12-14 small pancakes
Ingredients
For the ginger plum compote
1 lb/500 g. ripe plums, pitted and sliced (about 2-3 large plums or 7-8 small)
1 tbsp grated ginger
1-2 tbsp maple syrup (depending on sweetness of your plums)
1 tsp lemon juice
Pinch of cinnamon
For the pancakes
¾ cup oat flour - you can make your own by grinding oats in a food processor
¾ cup spelt flour
2 tsp Aiya America cooking grade matcha powder
1 tbsp freshly ground flax seeds
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp sea salt
1¼ cup almond milk
½ ripe banana
A small handful spinach (optional - I used it for color)
2 tbsp maple syrup
½ tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
For the ginger plum compote
Combine plums, ginger, maple syrup, lemon juice and cinnamon in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the plums are broken down and soft, about 5-7 minutes. Don't stir too much and try to keep some chunks for texture. Remove from heat and let cool. The compote can be stored in a sealed mason jar in the fridge for a couple weeks.
For the pancakes
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the oat flour, spelt flour, matcha powder, ground flax, baking powder and sea salt.
Place the almond milk, ½ banana and spinach in a blender and blend until completely smooth. Pour into the bowl of dry ingredients. Add maple syrup and vanilla and mix well to combine. Let the batter sit for at least 5 minutes - the flax seeds will absorb some of the liquid and the batter will thicken a bit.
Heat a bit of coconut oil in a large skillet. When hot, pour about ¼ cup of batter onto the skillet and cook for a few minutes, until bubbles start to form on the top and the edges start to turn slightly crisp. Flip and cook pancake for a few more minutes on the other side. Repeat with the remaining batter. Place pancakes in a warm oven to stay warm while you cook the remaining batter.
Serve hot with the ginger plum compote and maple sweetened yogurt if desired. Enjoy!
Nutrition Information
Calories: 1394 Fat: 22g Saturated fat: 3g Unsaturated fat: 14g Carbohydrates: 270g Sugar: 91g Sodium: 901mg Fiber: 40g Protein: 50g
3.5.3208
“Before you give up, think about why you held on for so long.”
More breakfast/brunch recipes:
Vegan Pumpkin Spice Pancakes
Lemon Poppy Seed Waffles with Blueberry Cashew Cream
The post Vegan Matcha Pancakes + Ginger Plum Compote appeared first on The Green Life.