Who’s ready for Halloween?! I love me some spooky and gory stuff! Oh, and don’t forget everything pumpkin spice! You’d think with this opening that I’d be posting a recipe related to pumpkin or some creepy treats. Unfortunately, I didn’t plan accordingly. Sorry to disappoint you. But guess what?? PANCAKES. Yep! If pancakes can’t make up for lack of pumpkin spice treats, I don’t know what to tell you (except in hindsight, I should have made pumpkin spice pancakes…hmm).

But first…let’s talk about EMFs. I haven’t paid too much concern to the hazards of Electromagnetic Fields to this point. I’ve overhauled my diet, converted my personal care items, slowly upgraded some cookware, but I’ve put EMFs on the back burner. Committing to a healthy lifestyle when you have multiple chronic illnesses is overwhelming; it’s not just one aspect. It’s your entire life. You don’t change it all at once, mainly because it’s mentally and emotionally exhausting. Not to mention costly! It’s well-known that healthier options of anything cost more. It’s a sad fact that “spoonies” often spend thousands of dollars on products just so we can attempt to live “normal” lives. It’s not enough that we have to spend money on doctor appointments, prescriptions, supplements, and treatments! While I’d much rather spend my money on trips or something more enjoyable, I’m willing to invest in my health, especially if it means less stressing about risks like EMFs.

I started reading TOX-SICK this week by Suzanne Somers, and there’s an excerpt on EMFs. Each generation has higher rates of cancer and autoimmune disease, and that’s no coincidence. Our bodies aren’t meant to withstand our modern lifestyles. I’m not one to disown my electronic devices. My Pinterest boards give me life, my online support groups are invaluable, I love connecting with friends and family on Facebook, and can we talk about Paleo food porn on Instagram? I’m on the computer and phone all day at work. Technology isn’t going anywhere! Somers mentioned some protective products, and I started researching various products with a few companies. Finally settled on phone and tablet cases from SafeSleeve and a laptop pad from DefenderShield. That way I won’t have to type up my blog posts unprotected anymore (unlike the majority of this post)…yay! I’ve cut my microwave usage in half, thanks to my handy-dandy Lunch Crock I’m using at work every day. I still use my microwave at home, as more time and dirty dishes often equals stress. Stress is inflammatory too, so choose your battles wisely.

Back to the pancakes! I became inspired by my grandpa’s buttermilk pancake recipe a couple months ago, and I’m so pleased with the result! OK, I had to change every ingredient except the baking soda, but that’s beside the point. They’re fluffy and have that wonderful buttermilk flavor!

Buttermilk Pancakes (AIP/Paleo, Vegan)

Time: 20 minutes; Makes: 9

Ingredients:

• ½ C Organic Gemini tigernut flour
  
• ½ C cassava flour (I used Otto’s Naturals, which is $1 cheaper at HEB)
• 1 tsp grain-free baking powder
  
• ½ tsp aluminum-free baking soda
  
• ½ tsp Himalayan pink salt
• ¼ C organic unsweetened applesauce
• ½ tsp gluten-free vanilla extract
• 1 C coconut buttermilk
• unrefined coconut oil, for skillet

Instructions:

1. Whisk dry ingredients together, then add wet ingredients. Mix thoroughly; batter will be fluffy and somewhat thick.
2. Heat unrefined coconut oil in large skillet on medium heat. Drop batter into pan and spread out thinner to ensure it cooks thoroughly. Cook for approximately 3 minutes per side, or until golden-brown. You’ll have to add coconut oil every time you flip, or add more batter, as the flours are very absorbent.
3. Serve with organic berries and pure maple syrup, and protein such as sausage patties. Yum!!

Gingerbread variation: Add 1 tsp ground cinnamon (I prefer Ceylon), 1 tsp ground ginger, and ½ tsp ground nutmeg* (or ¼ tsp ground mace for AIP) to dry ingredients. Like gingerbread, but less effort!!

*reintro

Note: The tigernut flour can probably be substituted with another AIP flour, like plantain, sweet potato, green banana, maybe even coconut. I chose tigernut because I figured it was the closest texture to cornmeal from the original recipe (not compliant). It also gives them a great flavor!