Delicious Wheat-Free Buckwheat Pancakes

I have been challenged to live wheat-free for a while by a book entitled Wheat Belly, which claims that many people develop diabetes and gain excessive weight because wheat consumption has increased dramatically over the past 30 years.


















More specifically, the book blames hybridized and genetically altered wheat that has been developing in the past half century for the increase in digestive problems (such as Celiac Disease). The subtitle of the book is: "Lose the wheat, lose the weight and find your path back to health"... so I'm giving it a try.

I have, however, decided to simply stop consuming wheat... and not to modify my eating habits in any other way. (The book encourages the use of non-sugar sweeteners and ground flax seed, but - as neither agree with me - the only diet modification I am planning is to simply eliminate wheat.)

One of the hardest meals (for me) to be wheat-free is breakfast, as I usually have a piece of toast and jam. But I discovered that buckwheat is not really a wheat, so I looked online for a simple buckwheat pancake recipe that uses only buckwheat... And I found a delicious one! (It is apparently from the back of a package of Hodgson Mill Buckwheat Flour.)


















(I bought my buckwheat flour at a local organic grocer.)

Here is the recipe for Gluten Free Buckwheat Pancakes. It's really easy!

1. Blend dry ingredients:

• 1 cup buckwheat flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
  

2. Blend together liquid ingredients:

• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup milk (I used half sour and half regular, as I wanted . to use up some sour milk I had on hand)
• 2 tablespoons melted butter (I used olive oil)

3. Mix the dry ingredients and liquid ingredients together by hand.

4. Fry in a lightly greased frying pan. Note: Make sure the frying pan / griddle is hot enough that a drop of water sizzles on it. Lightly grease with olive oil. Use approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Do not try to flip the pancakes too early. (Wait until they start to smell done!)

5. I ate mine with a little apricot jam. Delicious!!

A few days later... After a week of wheat-free living, with no noticeable changes in my weight or my blood sugar (though my carb craving diminished) I decided to abandon the attempt! But I think it is a good idea to eat a variety of grains and grain-substitutes - like buckwheat.