It’s Pink October and in support for breast cancer awareness I made naturally pink-colored pancakes. They are also vegan, healthier and super pretty!
As you probably know already, Pink October is a philanthropic initiative aimed to raise awareness and funds for the fight against breast cancer. Some people show their support with a pink ribbon, other register for a run (I would love to do that!), and my modest contribution today is simply to show my support with a lovely pink recipe on the blog.
Lovely and pink yes, but also and above all naturally pink-colored. I am totally against any kind of artificial food colorants in recipes (I know, Halloween is around the corner and some people might become my enemies reading this right now), and especially for such a cause as cancer I do believe that it is important to show some support with a recipe prepared with natural ingredients without dangerous impact on your health.
As a food blogger, my mission is today to remind you how much the content of our plate is important, in prevention of any kind of cancer. More than a diet, eating well is and should be a way of life. Try to eat natural as much as possible (if possible organic), make a large place for plant-based food, and most importantly try to eat homemade as often as possible. This is actually the best way to keep an eye on the food you eat; you have no idea what processed food can be made of!
Breast cancer is one of the most known and treated cancers nowadays, but as for other cancers, it cannot always be avoided. As researchers are still working on it, they all agree on the fact that healthy habits such as a hearty diet and a regular physical activity (even only walking 30 minutes a day) will have a positive impact on a cancer – and can help to prevent it. I am not trying to explain you how things work, we already read/hear that everywhere. But sometimes we just need to hear it one more time, until we finally acknowledge the importance of taking good care of our health.
Personally I did not feel very concerned by these issues until recently. Somehow, when still in your twenties, you feel like nothing can ever happen to you, as if you would be young forever. This is wrong of course; it is important to take care of ourselves as early as possible, with healthy habits and a well-balanced life. Take time to eat well, exercise, but also take time to breathe, leaving the stress outside, and simply enjoy the little things of life.
These lovely colored-pink pancakes are today for me these little things of life I am talking about. While I wouldn’t touch a pink pancake served in a coffee place, wondering what might be inside, these ones have everything to make you feel good. They are 100% plant-based and vegan, naturally colored with beet, and very little sweetened with agave syrup. I chose to cut the amount of sugar as we usually generously top them with maple syrup. My suggestion: sprinkle with pomegranate and/or fresh berries, and serve with a vegan coconut whipped cream.
You can also make them in a savory version, with no sugar in the dough at all. In this case, a suggestion would be to serve them with greens such as spinach, roasted chickpeas, and a creamy cashew sauce (the sauce recipe will soon be on the blog – keep your eyes open!).
So this weekend and until the end of October, please make a pile of these lovely pink pancakes, as a symbol of your own support against breast cancer – and any kind of cancer in general, and share a picture on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #Pinkoctober. Remember, pretty food always put a smile on everyone’s face!
Print
Vegan Pink Beet Pancakes (for Pink October!)
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 2 mins
- Total Time: 17 mins
- Yield: 10-12 pancakes 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Cuisine: American recipes
Description
It’s Pink October and in support for breast cancer awareness I made naturally pink-colored pancakes. They are also vegan, healthier and super pretty!
Ingredients
- 1/2 medium beet, roasted and peeled
- 1 1/2 cup (180g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 Tablespoons ground flax seeds
- 6 Tablespoons of water
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) almond milk
- 1 Tablespoon agave syrup*
- 1–2 Tablespoons coconut oil (or other vegetable oil)**
Instructions
- Place 1/2 medium beet in foil and roast it in the oven for about 1 hour at 350°F (180°C). Let cool and peel.
- In a large bowl, combine flour and baking powder. Mix together.
- In a small bowl, prepare the so-called flax egg: combine 2 Tablespoons of ground flax seeds and 6 Tablespoons of water. Mix well and set aside for about 10 minutes to thicken.***
- In a food processor, puree beet with almond milk. You will get a lovely pink color. Add the flax seed egg, the agave syrup and combine together.
- Make a well in the middle of your flour mixture. Pour in the wet mixture into the well, stirring continuously until combined. Do not over-mix the batter.
- Heat up a skillet over medium heat, and lightly grease the surface of the skillet with a tiny amount of coconut oil (or other vegetable oil).
- Pour about 3 Tablespoons of batter for each pancake, trying to fit as many as possible in your skillet, leaving enough space in between. Let them cook for about one minute or two, and flip them over, cooking the other side, half the time you used on the first one. Remove from the skillet and repeat with the remaining pancakes.
- Top with pomegranate and/or berries of your choice, and generously pour some maple syrup.
Notes
* An option is to make your pancakes unsweetened and serve them as a savory version, topped with veggies.
** You can use any other vegetable oil of your choice but I strongly advice the coconut oil, which leaves a delicate coconut flavor on the pancakes. Just delicious.
*** For your information, 1 tablepoon of ground flax seeds mixed with 3 tablespoons of water is a vegan alternative to one egg.
I just pinned my vegan pink pancakes recipe and then I discovered yours! So fun! 🙂 Interesting, how we both used beets but in a different way. All the best, Zulejka
On my way to check yours now, you make me curious! 🙂