GF Blueberry Coconut Pancakes

coconut pancakesHere is a perfect weekend breakfast for you. It is gluten-free, grain-free, wheat-free, and sugar-free. Can you believe the pancakes are this good for you? You don’t have to feel guilty having sweet pancakes in the morning. I used yogurt made of goat milk (better for your digestion if you are sensitive to dairy), blueberries and Canadian maple syrup for topping, but add any of your favorite fruits, sweetener, nuts or dried fruits on top.

Do you have a jar of coconut oil in your pantry? I hope so. I used to use olive oil and canola oil for cooking, but all I have now is coconut oil for cooking and e.v.o.o for salad dressing. When I started studying nutrition, my eyes almost popped out when I looked at the fat components of different types of oils. OMG! coconut oil has 90% saturated fat! It must be bad for you, right? We are all brainwashed by the media saying “saturated fat is bad for you” and we are driven to buy “low-fat” “no-fat” products. The answer is actually No.

Coconut oil is made up of medium chain fatty acids which is more stable on heat, light and oxygen compared to long chain fatty acids in olive oil. When you heat up the olive oil in a pan, for example, you are exposing the oil to heat, light and oxygen. The structure of the long chain fatty acids then get unstable and oxidated, which will put our body under stress when eaten. The major saturated fatty acid in coconut oil is lauric acid, which is believed to increase the total/HDL (good cholesterol) ratio. Other health benefits of coconut oil include hair and skin care, weight loss, increased immunity, better digestion and metabolism. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying you all need to throw away other oils and buy coconut oil. What I do and believe is use coconut oil or ghee in cooking and using high heat. Oother types such as olive oil, flaxseed oil, avocado oil and macadamia oil are best unheated in sauce or salad dressing. Keep all oils away from UV and heat as much as you can, as well. If you have any other opinions or suggestions on oil, feel free to comment below to share 🙂

The health benefits of coconut oil include hair care, skin care, stress relief, maintaining cholesterol levels, weight loss, increased immunity, proper digestion and metabolism, relief from kidney problems, heart diseases, high blood pressure, diabetes, HIV and cancer, dental care, and bone strength. – See more at: http://scepticalnutritionist.com.au/?p=844#sthash.jvLFUmsi.dpuf

Ingredients (serves 2)

1/4 cup coconut flour
2 eggs
1/2 cup coconut milk or yogurt
1/2 tsp vanilla bean powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
a pinch of Himalayan salt
2 tbsp coconut oil
yogurt, blueberries and maple syrup to serve

Add all pancake ingredients in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Let it sit for 5 minutes so that the coconut flour absorbs all liquid. Heat coconut oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Spoon the batter into a pan and cook the pancakes 1-2 minutes each side until golden brown. It is easier to keep them small and carefully flip with a spatula. Serve warm with thick yogurt, blueberries and maple syrup on top.
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