When Summer meets Autumn: Zucchini Bread Pancakes & Maple-Roasted Acorn Squash

With windows wide open and summer skin rests,
Fall pulls back his bow and aims at the crest.

Its cool thin arrow cuts through thick air,
It glimmers like silver and tickles the pear.

Slicing through wheat and brushing the sparrow,

It stirs up the hay that lay in your barrow.

Into the window and onto your breast,
Through thinly spun linen it kisses your chest.

Despite the dream and amongst it all,
You know you’ve been kissed by the coming of Fall.

 –Randy Holden, “A Poem:  When Summer Meets Fall” in Chronogram Magazine

Late last month, my husband remarked that it feels more like fall than summer where we live (SD).  I like the weeks in August (and in other months) that is sort-of in-between seasons. But I do have to say that fall is my favorite season. Since getting married in the fall almost two years ago, I like it even better. Now that I think about it, it’s interesting how the seasons and the weather plays such important parts in our lives. In the food world, it is definitely a tremendous influence.

But I’m still enjoying summer and still enjoying the summer bounty of vegetables and other seasonal fare. Many home gardeners like my dad are having to find ways to use up certain fruits or vegetables that grow like weeds. Zucchinis are notorious for that. I think my mom makes 20-30 loaves of zucchini bread every summer. I visit my parents often and was thinking of ways to use up them up and one way is to make…

zucchini bread pancakes!

I was going to use my favorite pancake recipe, but after a google search and finding out that I’m not the only one with the idea to put the baked good into pancake form, I decided to use Smitten Kitchen’s recipe as a guide, for my tinkering. Also, my dad was making something with zucchini flower blossoms, aren’t they beautiful?

It was a lovely surprise to find acorn squash freshly picked from my dad’s garden. I usually use them in the fall and winter, but they were ready to be used. They would make a great topping for the pancakes to make a double squash breakfast.

The pancake recipe is pretty versatile as I used alternative flours and it turned out great. I love the combo of kamut/khorasan flour and pumpernickel meal. Hearty and robust grains for a nod to autumn and the cooler days ahead. I’ve been using kamut flour a lot more recently. It is an ancient-type grain with origins in the Fertile Crescent. I love the nutty flavor and the golden color it gives. It’s also known for being easier to digest as well as a whole host of other health benefits.

In addition to kamut flour and rye meal, here are  the dry ingredients all mixed together:  salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Can’t forget the shredded zucchini!

Since I used hearty and more dense grains, I went with the “Chiffon cake method” of mixing batter by combining together all the ingredients except the egg whites and folding it in after beating/aerating it.  Here, in the above photo, all the ingredients sans egg white is combined. This method worked well as it helped to fluff up the pancakes a bit more as the denser grains need a little more help to get that rise.

Aerate the whites until stiff peak stage. In between soft and stiff peaks is fine as well. Fold it in with the other ingredients gently.

The mixed up bubbly batter. Time to fire up the griddle (if not done already), grease it up,  and make some flapjacks!

About ready to flip the ‘jacks.  If it is your fancy, add some blueberry, sliced bananas, choc chips, or other pancake batter accompaniments to the wet surface of the batter before it is ready to be flipped. Like in this Smitten Kitchen photo.

The crust + green speckles.  You also see the rye meal, which gives a bit of crunch and that hearty multi-grain texture. 😀

The topping:  maple-roasted acorn squash with the peels on, but you can take them off if you want.

For a smoky note, this South African Smoke Seasoning is really good with acorn squash. Practically no heat, but gives a great smoky flavour that’s not artificial. It’s a new product at Trader Joe’s. Goes great with so many foods! These pancakes too–a bit smoky, savory, and sweet…if you desire.

Ready to dig in?

Zucchini Bread Pancakes (with Rye and Khorasan) & Roasted Acorn Squash

Makes 10-12 Pancakes, depending on size

Ingredients

Zucchini Bread Pancakes – adapted from Smitten Kitchen

• 3/4 cup khorasan (kamut) flour
• 1/4 cup pumpernickel (rye) meal (I used Bob’s Red Mill brand)
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground or freshly grated nutmeg
• 2 large eggs – yolks and whites separated
• 3 tablespoons cooking oil (use your favorite type of cooking oil that you like to use when making pancakes)
• 2 tablespoons sugar (use your favorite kind as well!)
• 1/4 cup buttermilk or 2 tablespoons each of milk and plain yogurt, whisked until smooth (can also use acidulated non-dairy milk like almond milk–use 1/4 cup of the non-dairy milk + 1/4 teaspoon vinegar)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups shredded zucchini
• Butter, oil, or your choice of grease for coating the skillet

1. Dry ingredients:  Whisk together the khorasan flour, pumpernickel meal, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
2. Wet ingredients:  In a separate bowl, mix together the eggs, oil, sugar, buttermilk, and vanilla until combined.  Fold in the grated zucchini.
3. Mix the wet and dry ingredients until just combined.
4. Before finishing the pancake batter, start heating up your skillet to medium.
5. Egg whites:  In a clean and dry bowl, beat the egg whites to stiff peaks. Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the zucchini batter mixture until just combined.
6. When your skillet is hot, melt a bit of butter (or oil–or dare I say even bacon fat) and swirl it around to coat the surface. Place about 1/4 cup of the batter on the skillet for each pancake, making sure not to let them touch (unless you want to make Mickey Mouse pancakes or something of the sort). Cook each side for 2-3 minutes until browned to desired level (for the first side, flip until bubbles appear and the edges are dry).  Repeat with remaining batter. Keep cooked pancakes warm on a baking pan in the oven set at 200 degrees F. Enjoy with roasted acorn squash and bit of maple syrup.

Roasted Acorn Squash – recipe from Giada De Laurentiis at Food Network

1 (1- pound) acorn squash, washed
2 tablespoons maple syrup, a bit more if you want
1 tablespoon olive oil (or any other oil suitable for baking)
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes or South African Smoke Seasoning blend (optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Cut the squash lengthwise (from top to bottom). Scoop out the seeds and pulp from each half. Save the seeds for planting or maybe to roast for a snack.
3. Slice the squash 1/2-3/4 inch pieces resembling a half moon. Place in a bowl and toss with the maple syrup, oil, red pepper, and salt.
4. Place the seasoned squash on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast for 20-25 minutes, until tender and golden. Enjoy often, when in season. 🙂

Time to dig in.

Mmmm..a breakfast treat for the in-between summer and autumn weeks. Next weekend, I’ll be making these again!