Here's a fun and dollarwise Valentine's Day breakfast/brunch idea. Really fun for kids with the heart shape! And healthier and cheaper than heart candy, dare I say.
After my hubby Steve baked a big pan of these up for us, I put them in the fridge 'til cool and set well so I could cut them cleanly with a cookie cutter.
Don't skip the fridge step as it works to solidify the chocolate chips too so they cut well.
After you cut the hearts out, you will have some odd size pieces left. Just cut them up in smaller pieces, freeze them, and have one or two with afternoon tea or morning coffee, like a cake-bar.
The original recipe for these is from VeganBlueberry.com and I modified it to our health needs to be gluten-free. I also used oat milk and honey instead of maple syrup. (Strict vegans don't usually eat honey, but we do.)
Here's my version/recipe makeover for our needs below. I used Walmart's Great Value brand ingredients for these and they turned out just fine.
Chocolate Chip Oven Pancakes
INGREDIENTS
3 cups almond or other milk (I used oat milk)
1 T. apple cider vinegar
3 c. all purpose flour (I used gluten-free)
4 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
1 t. vanilla extract (I left this out as real vanilla is ridiculously expensive these days so I refuse to buy it. I don't feel it affected the taste at all by leaving it out.
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted (This is wonderful and a great price for a big tub! No coconut taste or smell at all. Bonus: I use it to moisturize my face in the dry desert air and it works dandy!)
1/3 cup honey or coconut sugar, which is lower glycemic than white or brown sugar (I love this honey and the price!)
1 bag chocolate chips (I like this brand)
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine milk and apple cider vinegar and let it sit
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk together to combine and set aside
Add the vanilla, honey, and coconut oil to the milk mixture and whisk/stir well by hand
Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, whisking all together until fully combined
Add chocolate chips at end
Pour the batter into a 9x13 oiled or non-stick pan and use a spatula to smooth it out (I used and love the Rachael Ray pans)
Bake15-20 minutes until toothpick in center comes out clean
Serve with maple syrup or honey drizzled on top. Or not.
I have also made the blueberry version and they are great too. Just sub out the choc chips with blueberries is all you do.
These can be a bit messy, so try my new "never buy paper napkins again" m.o. by using these wonderful microfiber towels as napkins. They are the size of a dishtowel vs. a square napkin and work just great for messy meals and also as "bibs" for kids and adults alike. I was amazed that even spaghetti sauce washed out without using a spray treament in the laundry. Win! I am not sure if blueberry juice would wash out; guess I will have to try that.
Since we have a garden theme going in our decor, I chose this pattern. We keep a big stack of them near our table and just toss in the wash. Dry, fold, and never buy paper napkins again. :)
Happy upcoming Valentine's Day, my sweets!
Kathryn