Perfect Pumpkin Pancakes

Pumpkin is one of the favorite foods of fall. It’s packed with nutrients like fiber, vitamin A and vitamin C. It’s also naturally low in calories.

Don’t assume pumpkin is only for pies! Use this nutritious vegetable for a variety of dishes, like this one.

Ingredients

2 cups flour

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 ¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon salt

1 egg

½ cup pumpkin (canned)

1 ¾ cup milk, low-fat

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions

1.  Combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice and salt in a large mixing bowl.

2.  In a medium bowl, mix well together egg, canned pumpkin, milk and vegetable oil.

3.  Add wet ingredients to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Batter may be lumpy. (For thinner batter, add a little more milk).

4.  Lightly coat a griddle or skillet with cooking spray and heat on medium.

5.  Using a ¼ cup measure, pour batter onto hot griddle. Cook until bubbles begin to burst, then flip pancakes and cook until golden brown, 1 ½ to 2 ½ minutes.

Repeat with remaining batter. Makes about 1 dozen 3 ½-inch pancakes.

Pumpkin Pie Spice Hack

If you don’t have pumpkin spice on hand, don’t worry- it’s just a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves. In this recipe, you can substitute ¾ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg and 1/8 teaspoon each of ginger and cloves for the pumpkin pie spice. Remaining pumpkin puree can be frozen in an air-tight container for 1 to 2 months.

Safety Tip

You can be sure your skillet or griddle is hot enough for pancakes without burning your hand. Just sprinkle a few (3 or 4) drops of water on the surface. If they dance and sizzle, you are ready to cook. Be sure handles of skillets and pans are always turned toward the center or back of the stove, to prevent the pan from catching on hands or clothes and causing burns.

Serving size: 1 pancake

Nutrition:130 Calories; 3.5 g Total fat; 0.5 g Saturated fat; 340 mg Sodium; 21 g Carbohydrates; 1 g Fiber; 4 g Protein

Source: USDA Healthy Eating on a Budget Cookbook