These adorable dairy free Pink Heart Pancakes are made from beets, so they are naturally a vibrant pink color and loaded with nutrients. They are so tasty and such a fun color and shape that kids will have no idea that they’re good for them too!
Beets are the ideal vegetable for Valentine’s Day! They are naturally a beautiful vibrant pink and naturally sweet too. They are the perfect ingredient for these healthy heart pancakes that I make for my kids on Valentine’s Day. Top them with a dollop of coconut whipped cream and sprinkles and they are a festive, but healthy option for Valentine’s Day morning.
Key Ingredients for Pink Heart Pancakes
- Flour. These pancakes are made with whole-wheat flour, because it is more nutritious than white flour.
- Oil. Coconut oil has a great flavor and is good for you too, however, olive oil and avocado oil would work as well.
- Beets. Beets provide impressive health benefits, they have a sweet and earthy flavor, and they’re such a pretty color!
- Eggs. Eggs act as the binding agent for these pancakes. I always pick large fresh organic eggs – from my backyard hens, usually! However, you could easily use an egg substitute if you’d like.
- Ground flaxseed. I like to throw a scoop of ground flaxseed into these pancakes to make them that even more nutritious. You can’t taste it or notice the texture, but it adds extra nutrients to the pancake.
- Non-dairy milk. I used oat milk for these pancakes, but almond or coconut milk would work as well.
- Sweetener. This recipe calls for three tablespoons of honey, but maple syrup would work great too. Or leave it out if you prefer!
What makes these pink heart pancakes healthy?
- The whole-wheat flour. I chose to make these with whole wheat flour because it is very rich in vitamins B-1, B-3, and B-5, as well as riboflavin and folate. It also has more iron, calcium, and protein than regular white flour does.
- The coconut oil. Not only does the coconut oil provide these pancakes with additional great flavor, it’s also good for you. It’s often considered a superfood and it is rich in healthy fatty acids and proteins which provide countless health benefits.
- The beets. According to healthline.com, beets provide really impressive health benefits. They are low in calories, but a great source of nutrients, including fiber, folate, and vitamin C. They may lower blood pressure, fight inflammation, and may improve digestive health and brain health.
- The flaxseed. According to webmd.com, some call flaxseed, “one of the most powerful plant foods on the planet.” It may reduce heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes because they’re loaded with Omega-3 essential fatty acids, lignans, and fiber.
- The non-dairy milk. For some, the lactose in cow milk is really hard on their digestion and cow’s milk is high in cholesterol and saturated fat, so a healthier alternative is oat milk, almond milk, or coconut milk. I always choose oat milk for it’s sweet flavor and because it’s the best option for the environment.
How to make pink heart pancakes
- Prepare the beets. If you’re using fresh beets, you’ll need to cut off the stalks and stems, peal the skin, and then steam, boil, or bake the beets. Once cooked and soft, transfer them to a food processor to make puree. You’ll need between 1/4 cup and 1/2 cup, depending on how how strong of a beet flavor you’d like to have.
- Whisk dry ingredients together. Place flour, flaxseed, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk until well-combined.
- Mix wet ingredients together. Beat one large egg into the non-dairy milk, and then add coconut oil, pureed beets and sweetener. Be sure to use melted coconut oil and room-temperature milk and eggs.
- Mix everything together. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk until just combined.
- Pipe heart shapes. To create the fun heart shapes, you’ll need to transfer the pancake batter into a piping bag or a medium sized Ziplock bag. Trim off the bottom corner of the bag and with gentle pressure, pipe the batter onto a hot griddle or pan into a heart shape. Cook each side over medium heat until slightly brown and cooked through.
- Top with cream and sprinkles. While the pancakes are cooking, whip full-fat coconut cream to top the pancakes with. Add a dollop of whipped coconut cream to the top of the hot pancakes and sprinkle with fun multi-colored sprinkles to make it more festive for Valentines Day.
- Storing beet pancakes. These are best enjoyed right away, but left overs can be kept in a sealed container in the refrigerator for about 5 days. You could freeze them for a few months as well.
Pink Heart Pancakes {Dairy Free}
The adorable dairy-free Pink Heart Pancakes are made from beets, so they are naturally a vibrant pink color and loaded with nutrients. They are so tasty and such a fun color and shape that kids will have no idea that they're good for them too!
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole-wheat flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup ground flaxseed
- 1/4 cup pureed beets
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
- 1 cup oat milk, at room temperature
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 3 tablespoons of honey
Instructions
1. First, prepare the beets. If you're using fresh beets, cut off the stalks and stems, peal the skin, and then steam, boil, or bake the beets to cook them. Once cooked and soft, transfer them to a food processor to make a puree. Use 1/4 - 1/2 cup of beet puree, depending on taste.
2. Put whole-wheat flour, flaxseed, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk until well-combined.
3. Beat one large egg into oat milk. Once well combined, add the pureed beets, coconut oil and honey.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients and whisk until just combined.
5. To create the fun heart shapes, transfer the pancake batter into a piping bag or a medium sized plastic storage bag. Trim off the bottom corner of the bag and with gentle pressure, pipe the batter onto a hot griddle or pan into a heart shape.
6. Cook each side over medium heat until slightly brown and cooked through.
7. While the pancakes are cooking, whip full-fat coconut cream until thick. Add a dollop of whipped coconut cream to the top of the hot pancakes and sprinkle with multi-colored sprinkles to make it more festive for Valentines day.
Notes
These are best enjoyed right away, but left overs can be kept in a sealed container or bag in the refrigerator for about 5 days. You could freeze them for a few months as well.
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