Now that we have arrived at the first full week of Great Lent in the Orthodox Church and our Western brethren are approaching Holy Week, I thought I would share a tried and true recipe that our family shares at Sunday coffee hours throughout the year in either its fasting or feasting form (depending on the form of milk used). Blessed Lent or Happy Easter to you depending on which calendar you celebrate!

Dry Ingredients:**

• 3 cups White Flour*
• 1 cup Corn Flour
• 1 cup Whole Wheat (or other flour)- optional
• 1 cup instant oatmeal
• ½ cup Flaxseed meal
• ½ cup chia seeds
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 Tablespoons baking powder*
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon*
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice

Wet Ingredients:

• ¼ cup vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil (olive okay, but not ideal)
• 2-3 cups non-dairy milk (soy, oat, almond, etc.; usually oat for us)

Fruit Ingredients:

• 3 bananas
• 2-3 shredded apples
• Any other desired fruit

Steps:

• Combine and mix each set of ingredients in three separate bowls. Thoroughly mash the fruit all together with a masher or food processor.
• Combine all three bowls together into one. Add additional oat milk until mixture drips slowly from the spoon (pancake consistency)
• Pour about half a ladle for each pancake on a non-stick griddle (or cast iron with adequate oil/margarine to prevent sticking). Batter also good for making waffles in a waffle maker, although one might want thicker batter if you just intend to make waffles.
• Pile pancakes/waffles on a big plate and leave to cool off. Enjoy with the very best New England maple syrup which is in season during Great Lent or whatever other sweet topping you enjoy.

Yield: Makes about 30-40 pancakes/waffles.

*    Crucial ingredient. Other ingredients are optional. If less dry ingredients are used, then use less non-dairy milk in the wet.

**   Most ingredients can be acquired from Tader Joes with the exception of different flours like corn meal.