I made this spinach and oatmeal pancake quite by accident several years ago, and to this day it remains my most favorite oatmeal pancake recipe. I do not like to eat sugary breakfasts because they make me feel bloated all day. Plus, spiking blood sugar early in the day makes me crave more sugar throughout the day. But this savory oatmeal pancake makes me feel satisfied and I do not randomly binge on sugary stuff anymore. Research indicates the oatmeal or other non-sugary whole-grain breakfast options are better for people with diabetes and for those trying to lose weight. Furthermore, the insoluble fiber from spinach keeps you feeling full and helps to lose weight. Spinach is also exceptionally good for diabetes.
What’s best is that this recipe uses only 3/4 cup of oatmeal and makes about 6 pancakes! 2 of these pancakes, or only 1/4 cup of oatmeal, should keep you feeling full for at least 3 hours. Therefore, if you are on a low glycemic index diet, or looking for diabetic recipes, or trying to eat healthy grains and veggies, or trying to lose weight, then this savory oatmeal pancake is for you. They are great for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner…anything. It takes under 5 mins to prep and 12 minutes to make these pancakes and you won’t believe how tasty they are!
They don’t need sauce but serve it with a little pesto or this restaurant-style green chutney if you want. Enjoy! 🙂
And here is my second most favorite oatmeal pancake recipe.
- Grind oatmeal and spinach with a little water. I used packaged baby spinach, but you can also use frozen and thawed spinach. You want a pancake-like consistency. So, how much water you have to use will depend on whether or not the spinach is frozen and already has a lot of water.
- Once everything has been ground, transfer to a bowl and add the spices and egg. If you are vegan, you may skip the egg and add some soaked chia seeds or egg substitute. If you are vegetarian, you may also use 1/4 cup Greek yogurt instead of egg.
- Mix everything well and let rest for sometime before cooking.
- I like to use olive oil, but you can use whatever cooking oil you prefer. I blot the oil with a tissue paper because if you have a non-stick pan, this oatmeal pancake requires very little oil.
- Scoop a ladle of the batter onto a heated non-stick pan, smooth out and sprinkle veggies and green chilies. I have used both sundried tomatoes and fresh tomatoes, but you can use either one or none. It’s not compulsory.
- Cook for 2 minutes over medium heat and carefully flip the oatmeal pancake so as not to break it. Cook on the other side for one minute. Repeat until you have used up all the batter.
- You can also make this batter ahead and keep in the fridge for 3-4 days. But if you plan to make it ahead, try adding the egg only before cooking.
Oatmeal and spinach pancake recipe
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup of oatmeal old fashioned or instant
- 2 cups of baby spinach leaves
- 1 cup water
- 1 egg
- red chili powder/paprika to taste
- salt to taste
- cracked back pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 1/2 cup bell pepper chopped
- 1/2 cup tomatoes (or sundried) chopped
- 2 green chilies chopped (optional)
- 1/4 cup crumbled feta optional
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Mix oatmeal, spinach, and water in a food processor until smooth.
- Transfer to a large bowl, add egg, chili powder, salt, cracked black paper and whisk until properly incorporated.
- Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat.
- Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake.
- Sprinkle onions, tomatoes, green chilies on top, and flip when the bottom side has browned (approximately 2 minutes).
- Cook the other side for 1 more minute, flip, sprinkle some feta and serve immediately.
Video
Nutrition
Dhrubaa Mukherjee--An academic by profession, a contributor to Huffington Post, a dancer by passion, a compulsive foodie, a former flight attendant, and a constant traveler, I am, what they call, a transnational gourmand (gourmet?). I am not only fascinated by the tastes, colors, textures and aromas of food, I am equally intrigued by the histories, traditions and cultural inter-junctions that drive/influence recipes.
[…] If you prefer crepes over pancakes, then give these a try. A green vegan spinach crepes, that go amazing with almost everything, just remember to keep it healthy. These require a technique that is quite easy to master. Enjoy, the recipe is here. […]