Improved Pumpkin Pancakes

I've made pumpkin pancakes before.. But they were nowhere as fun as these ones! This time it wasn't just the pancakes- I made honeyed nuts for them too. It felt so fancy and colourful and rich in flavours.. So much fun! I think they would go just wonderfully with a rhubarb mimosa.

I love it when Ralph and I have these quiet sleepy mornings. It's sunny outside, and he relaxes as I rush out of bed and start making an absurd mess in the kitchen. An hour or so later, I dig myself out of the chaos with two plates of (hopefully) delicious food, at which point he sprints out of bed and we spend way too much time on the couch eating and making fun of people on TV.

I love cooking something when it's light out. It almost never happens! I took these pancakes outside and took some photos and I just love their brightness!

Pumpkin Pancakes
From Food & Home Magazine

Honeyed Nuts:
1 1/2 cups salted pistachios
60 ml honey
2 tsp canola oil

Pancakes:
250 g pumpkin, cubed
45 ml muscovado sugar
1 tblsp canola oil
5 ml vanilla extract
2 extra-large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1) Preheat the oven to 170 C.
2) While it's heating up, steam the pumpkin until tender, and mash.
3) Stir the nuts, honey and oil together. Spread out onto a baking sheet covered with a silicone mat.
4) Bake for about 15 minutes, careful not to burn, it should turn golden brown.
5) Place the pumpkin, sugar, oil and vanilla into a large bowl. Whisk to combine.
6) Add the rest of the ingredients, and whisk thoroughly.
7) Melt a bit of butter in a bit of canola oil in a pan on a medium heat.
8) Pour spoonfuls of batter into the pan, fry until bubbles form on the top and the bottom browns, then flip and fry until other side is browned.
9) To serve, break off some nuts and sprinkle on a stack of pancakes, and drizzle the dish with maple syrup.
10) These were sweet, soft and flavorful. The nuts go so nicely with the pancakes, and the maple syrup really goes so well with the pumpkin. 

I had these for breakfast the next day, and would have had them again but one of my colleagues (a picky one!) got his hands on them and finished them off! I can't wait to make some more..