These slightly sweet cakes are reminicent of cornmeal cakes.

Yesterday I was in the mood for pancakes, big fluffy pancakes.  Instead of splurging on heavy flour-based pancakes, I took a different route.  You may have tried potato latkes before.  Well these are similar, except lighter and healthier.  Sweet potato and carrot pancakes.  Who would have thought something so obviously good-for-you could taste good as well?  I am including the recipe below, which takes about 30 minutes overall to prepare and make.  It’s a perfect transitional food between winter and spring, because it’s light yet contains grounding winter vegetables, the sweet potatoes.

These pancakes are perfect with applesauce, maple syrup or even a touch of sea salt!

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons ground golden flax seeds, 1 large onion, 3 carrots (or parsnips) peeled, 2 sweet potatoes, peeled, 2 tablespoons mirin, 1/2 cup cornmeal, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, and grapeseed oil for frying

Soak ground flax seeds for 10 minutes in a bowl with 1/2 cup water.

Grate the onion, carrots and sweet potatoes.  Place grated vegetables in large bowl.  Add mirin and soaked flax. Sprinkle with cornmeal, salt and pepper to taste and combine. (Don’t be afraid to use your hands!)

Heat skillet or griddle over medium-high heat and add enough grapeseed  oil to coat the bottom of the pan.  Again using your hands scoop out potato mixture, form into small balls, place in skillet and press flat with spatula to form pancakes.  Fry pancakes two to three minutes (I found it took about 5 minutes on each side) on each side until golden brown and crisp. Remove from skillet and keep in warm oven while frying remaining batches, adding oil to skillet as needed. Serve hot and enjoy!

(This recipe was taken from the amazing cookbook “Clean Food,” by Terry Walters,  http://terrywalters.net/clean-food/.  I highly recommend it if you are interested in wholesome seasonal eating.)