Chocolate Whole Wheat Pancakes

We've got another snow day today! So with the kids home from school yet another day, I decided to make them an extra yummy breakfast before heading out in the snow to go sledding!

My daughter has been asking for pancakes for just about every meal lately, so I decided that's what I'd make today, but with a twist. I'm adding cocoa powder to give them that chocolatey cake goodness!

I have baked with whole wheat flour before, but still tend to mix with 1/2 all-purpose flour for some recipes. If your family is used to all whole wheat, even better!

Ingredients:
 
   3/4 cups whole wheat flour
   3/4 cups all-purpose flour
   2 tablespoons sugar
   2 tablespoons cocoa powder
   1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
   1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
   1 tablespoon baking soda
   dash of sea salt
   1 1/4 cups skim milk (this is all I ever have on hand, so I use the ACV to thicken it a bit, you could probably skip this step if using whole milk. )
   1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
   4 tablespoons melted butter
   1 teaspoon vanilla extract
   oil for pan (I used coconut oil)

Directions:

   Whisk together flours, sugar, cocoa, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt in a medium mixing     bowl, set aside. Warm the milk until just warm, not hot. Whisk in apple cider vinegar, melted butter and vanilla. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix until slightly lumpy.

   Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Grease the pan with oil. My kids like smaller pancakes, so I use a small ladle that holds about 2 tablespoons to spoon the batter into the pan, to make them a little bigger you could use a 1/4 cup measuring cup. Spoon the batter onto the pan in a small circle, mine were about 3 in. Cook for about 2 minutes on first side, until edges start to look dry, then flip. Cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, until lightly browned and cooked through the middle. Serve warm with your choice of toppings. We used maple syrup and sliced bananas!
 

Quinoa, Sausage and Kale Casserole

Tonight I decided to try Quinoa. For the first time.

I bought some a few weeks ago and it's been sitting in my cabinet, waiting for me to have time to start experimenting with my cooking again.

I love making recipes that use what I have on hand, obviously because it's way easier than running for the store for one or two things...

So tonights main components are quinoa, sweet Italian style sausage, and kale. 

I've decided to go with an Italian taste, because it usually goes well in our house. So I'm adding garlic, cheese, tomatoes... 

Since hubby is working late tonight, my kids get to be the lucky little guinea pigs :)

I'm going to try to work on getting better pictures, before we start eating... (this was taken at a close-up angle, because we started digging in before I thought to snap a pic!) 

Anyway, for those of you looking to try a kid friendly way to incorporate Quinoa into your meals, like me, I will share...

Quinoa Sausage and Kale Casserole

1 cup quinoa, uncooked

3 sweet italian sausage links, casings removed

1 small onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1 cup diced tomatoes (I used about 1/2 of a 14.5 oz can, only        because my kids are not big tomato fans)

5 cups chopped kale leaves

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Cook quinoa as per package instructions.

3. While quinoa is cooking, brown sausage in skillet, finely chopping into crumbles. Once browned, add onion and garlic and sauté for a minute or two. 

4. Add tomatoes to skillet. Slowly stir in handfuls of kale, letting it soften and mix in well. once all kale is added, remove from heat.

5. In a 9x13 baking dish mix cooked quinoa and sausage mixture. Top with salt and pepper and cheeses. Bake for 30 minutes uncovered. Remove from oven and serve warm.

I loved this! My son preferred to make it into a sandwich with some 12 grain bread, but he's a growing pre-teen so he always wants bread! Even my picky 4 year old ate every bite on her plate, which really says a lot. I think she liked the shape and texture of the quinoa... so we will definitely be trying it again!

I'm sure this, like most of my recipes that I throw together, can be played with to your liking... maybe more cheese, a different meat (or none at all), I think even adding some peppers and mushrooms next time would be good. 

But this is what I had on hand tonight :) 

Here's one for the Memory Book...

"How can you have beautiful memories, without making beautiful mistakes?"

- Unknown

Okay, so I have no idea who originally said this. Probably because I found it in a fortune cookie about 11 years ago... But, it stuck with me. 

Maybe because I've made my share of mistakes. Maybe because it makes the word mistake sound a bit better, with the word beautiful before it. Or maybe just because I've always loved reflecting on my beautiful memories, and look forward to making more. And mistakes are just proof you are trying.

I still haven't figured out what I want to be when I grow up. I'm thinking that I may just ask my kids for suggestions pretty soon. For now I enjoy being the "Stay-at-home-mom-wife-maid-photographer-designer-fixer-farmer-shopper-bookkeeper". And I'd like to add to my title so I'll squeeze "blogger" on the end. 

I hope in my attempt to share whatever might be on my mind maybe I'll entertain or offer some advice or ideas to some of you. If not, I'll probably learn something from it all. 

-S