What's better than eating good food? Eating good food that's actually good for you. That's why when I stumbled across Pretty Delicious by Candice Kumai it was a no brainer- this book is coming home! I fell in love just reading the titles on each page. In a single weekend, I made three recipes! Each one was a win.
The premise of the book is to enjoy food that's healthy and delicious without sacrificing flavor. Every recipe has a blurb about why it's a good diet choice and the benefits it provides. I had no idea pumpkin was packed with vitamin A! Plus, the actual nutrition facts are listed for you calorie counters.
Now I'm no calorie counter- my mantra is everything in moderation. I love my broccoli and bok choy just as much as I love monkey bread and cookie cake. I refuse to make food that I'm not going to actually enjoy. Eat when you're hungry and eat smart. As the cliche goes, you are what you eat. So long as you stay active on the regular, I see no crime in a cupcake. Food is fuel. Tasty fuel.
These Pumpkin Pie Pancakes with Apple Butter were the recipe that did me in. I've been trying for a minute to make pumpkin pancakes that actually TASTE like pumpkin. This has plenty of pumpkin in it plus apple sauce to keep things moist and oil-free.
The batter is pretty thick, so when you put it on the skillet, you need to help disperse it gently with a spatula. You would think this would make for a heavy pancake but oh no- they're right on. Fluffy, moist, and rich in color. They smell oh so lovely.
Rather than slathering them in maple syrup and butter, the home-made apple butter is all the sweetness you need. I advise making this the night before as it needs about an hour to reduce (cook on low heat to evaporate liquid and heighten flavor) on the stove. You can buy apple butter at the store if you don't want to wait- I thought it was neat to learn.
For this recipe and many other excellent noms, buy this book! You will not be disappointed.
