Apple Pancakes with Warm Apple Pie Compote

Seasons change. A lot… in my life. Even more than the normal four times a year it seems. So, I’ll just say I’ve gotten used to living in a state of change. In fact, I’ve learned to embrace it because with each change of season, after I’m thrown for a loop or two, I learn a little something!

Sometimes I get burned by summer’s beautiful sun, sometimes I slip and slide in the high waters of spring and sometimes I feel frozen in wintry weariness.

But then there’s fall. That’s when the scents offer such remarkable fragrance, leaves crunch crisp with hope and sunsets linger a little longer. I adore autumn’s breeze, the warm color palate of nature’s canvas and the uniquely fall activities we engage in.

There’s just something fresh and fun about fall.

I liken it to my own seasons of hope and redemption. It’s when I’m falling in love with life more than struggling to get by. It’s when I’ve hit my stride and can look back on past pains and say, ‘See, there…take that!’ Don’t you love it when God hands you a bit of life-savoring success?!

So, as fall approaches, I’m just thinking about all I’ve been through and how hard I’ve worked to come to this place….wait, it’s not me, it’s God’s tireless hand that has delivered me to today’s temporary destination.

His love never fails and His fountain of hope keeps spilling over even when my heart is frozen over.

Do you see that, too? You’re struggling to get by and suddenly in His mysterious timing He’s pulled you through and you’ve persevered.

Fall always comes. And it is bountiful when it arrives!

And you know what? It’s not only in fall, is it? Blessings are always bountiful… it sometimes just takes the right season to see it!

Now, setting the sentimental side of changing seasons aside, fall also offers a bounty of some of my favorite fresh foods! Sweet potatoes, squash (buttercup is my personal favorite) and freshly picked apples. Since I love the food fall delivers, you’ll be seeing more of it here for sure!

And these apple pancakes are my starting point. What a wonderful way to celebrate the bounty that is your life on fall mornings! They are soft, fluffy and very tasty! You could eat them without the compote and they are still delicious. But, hey, it’s fall! Why not celebrate the season to its fullest!?

Fall's coming close and so is apple picking season. These are a real treat to inspire you into the new season! Whole grain goodness, apples and spices....how could you go wrong with this one on an autumn weekend!? (Maybe you'd like to make a double batch and freeze some for the week.)

Ingredients

For the Pancakes:
⅔ cup whole wheat pastry flour (can substitute a gluten free blend if you prefer. I like Bob's Red Mill blend*)
5 tablespoons rolled oats
1 cup finely peeled and chopped apples (I like a good pie apple for this, Paula Smith is always good!)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt (I always prefer a non-processed one like Celtic sea salt)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 tablespoons organic coconut sugar (can be substituted with 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup)
⅔ cup almond milk (or your milk of choice)
3 teaspoons melted unrefined coconut oil (unless you absolutely don't like the taste, then go for refined)**
2 tablespoons milled flax
For the Warm Apple Compote:
2 apples peeled and finely chopped
2 to 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup (depending on how sweet your apples are)
1 tablespoon whole wheat pastry flour (or gluten free flour blend used in pancakes)
¼ cup water
Cinnamon and nutmeg to taste. I prefer a LOT of cinnamon and a touch of nutmeg.

Recipe Instructions

Combine dry ingredients (flour, oats, baking soda, flax, baking powder and salt) in a bowl
Add wet (milk, vanilla, coconut oil melted, sugar)
Stir in apples. Mix, but don’t overmix.
Drop batter on an oiled (or sprayed) pan on low-medium, flipping each pancake once. I like to use ¼ cup at a time for small to medium pancakes.
Compote: While pancakes are cooking, cut up the compote apples. Put them in a pan to sauté with the water, maple syrup, spices to taste and flour. Cook at a low heat, stirring frequently until apples are soft and mixture is thick but pourable. If it gets too thick, add a little water.
When pancakes are ready to eat, top with some of the warm compote and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

*Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free blend. I like it because it's not chalk full of empty calories from rice and other starchy 'flours'.

BUY the gluten free blend here.

Buy a nice whole wheat pastry flour here.

**When you bake with coconut oil, be sure that all of your ingredients are at room temperature. This is a good baking practice anyways, but when using coconut oil particularly important so that the oil does not turn solid in your wet mixture.

Buy good coconut oil here. (I use this one on my body, in my food and even swish with...there's a jar in my bathroom and one in the kitchen at all times.)