Sweet Potato Pancakes

So... have you thought about what you're having for breakfast this weekend? I recommend you make these sweet potato pancakes, well any pancake for that matter, but these are really good. Full of beta-carotene, fiber from the sweet potato, but you wouldn't know it, they're tasty.

And while you sit and enjoy every last bite, I thought I'd share 5 food facts about myself... since you're here.

1. I have not eaten a pb&j sandwich since 2005. I know, I know, weird. The thing is, in college I ate one almost every day, I don't know the exact day I stopped, but I did attempt eating one last year and just couldn't finish it. But I do still enjoy each on toast, just not together.

2. I've been a vegetarian for over 8 years, but ask my mom and she'll tell you I was the pickiest eater ever, especially when she served meat. I'd pick it apart and spread it around to make it look as though I'd eaten it, or I would so cleverly fold some up in my napkin and dispose of it in the garbage.

3. My current kitchen is very small (about 60 sf total, but a foot print size of about 40 sf), and if we had not purchased a small, wheeled, kitchen cart, I would only have a 1.5 foot by 2 foot area of counter space. There is no microwave or dishwasher, and the oven is a little gas power-house. Let's just say we definitely eat "slow food."

4. I don't drink coffee, but I do enjoy the smell, unless it's coffee breath. My grandma served me straight black coffee when I was 13, saying I was "old enough now" and I thought it was so terrible I spit it out. Haven't had a sip since, I prefer tea.

5. For my birthday last year, I threw a pancake party by the ocean, for 20 people. I really love pancakes.

Plus one fact about Scott.

Even if he knows he doesn't like something, let's say shrimp cocktail sauce, if the opportunity presents itself, he will try it again anyways just to be sure. Then proceed to finish eating it and say "yeah... I really don't like that". It makes me laugh every time.

These pancakes are nice and thick, with a really pretty orange color to them, provided by the sweet potato. Make sure you get the orange flesh ones. I used soy milk, but regular will work too. Same goes for the flour, if you only have all purpose, go for it. I'm pretty sure sweet potatoes come packed in a can too, much like canned pumpkin, so if you want to save yourself a little time go this route, although make sure you get the can that's unsweetened.

Sweet Potato Pancakes

makes 12 pancakes

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons wheat flour

3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

pinch of  ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon salt

1 medium sweet potato, mashed (approx. 1 1/2 cups)

2 large eggs

1 1/4 cups soy milk

2 tablespoons oil

Bring water, enough to cover the sweet potato, to a boil. Once water boils place your sweet potato in and cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and place in cold water to remove skin easily.  Chop and mash the potato, you might want to use your food processor to get the potato really smooth, nobody likes potato chunks in their pancakes.

Mix together all the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Mix the sweet potato with the eggs, soy milk and oil in a large bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the wet. The batter should be thick, but if you want your batter thinner just add more milk to it.

Preheat your griddle to medium heat, I used my cast iron pan and my stove runs hot, so use your best judgment for your own pan and heat. Drop about a 1/4 cup of batter onto griddle and cook until you see bubbles from around the edges. Flip with spatula and heat the other side until golden brown.

Serve with lots of butter and pure maple syrup.