Savory Chickpea Pancake/Flatbread (Gluten Free)

The chickpea pancake is a great way to enjoy a savory and filling pancake any time of day. Filled with vegetables and spices of your choice, this pancake will leave you satisfied and able to concentrate on your day. Except you may be thinking about how wonderful it was and when you're going to make it next. It is that good and so easy to make. I know you will add this to your meal rotation somewhere!

You can eat this like a pancake or pull it apart like flat bread. I especially love eating this with hummus, either spread on top or pulling it apart for dipping. For the photos I decided to serve it like a pancake topped with cilantro, avocado and sriracha. And you can bet this way was delicious too!

The base of the pancake, garbanzo bean flour (aka, besan, gram flour, chana flour, chickpea or cici flour ), is a great source of protein and fiber. It contains 110 calories per 1/4 cup of flour and boosts 6 grams of protein while offering 5 grams of fiber. One of these pancakes uses 1/3 cup flour so you're getting 9 grams of protein and about 7 grams of fiber per serving. Not bad at all! This is one of those vegan dishes that will stay with you for awhile making it great to start your day, or eat whenever you need to be fueled for a few extra hours. Fill your pancake with whatever you have handy or plan on picking up some special ingredients to make this extra special for yourself, friends and family. Some of the ingredients you may like to use are roasted garlic & bell peppers along with some dandelion greens. I used these ingredients the first time I made this and it was delicious. I'll break it down in a list...that'll be much easier...try mixing and matching any of the following.

Greens...kale, spinach, arugula, chard, dandelions, parsley or cilantro.

Other veggies...(slice, dice or grate any of the following)...scallions, onion, shallots, garlic, tomatoes or sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms, zucchini, bell peppers, carrots, jalapenos, asparagus, broccoli, peas, green chilies, etc...

Spices...garam masala, cayenne, garlic powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, thyme, nutritional yeast, cracked pepper, curry, coriander, ground chipotle, summer savory, etc...

Toppings...hummus, salsa, avocado, harrisa, sweet chili sauce or hot sauce all come to mind.

I'm sure you will come up with some great versions of this pancake!

Add spices and vegetables of choice, mix to combine. I used kale, mushrooms, shallots and grape tomatoes.

Pour 1/2 of the mixture onto preheated griddle or skillet. Use your spatula to spread the veggies around and flatten as needed. Also, you can help make your pancake round by gently pushing in the edges where needed. There may be times when it appears that you have more veggies than batter, don't panic....in a few minutes the batter will puff up from the baking soda and fill in making it look fluffy and full. Cook for 5 minutes.

Flip and cook another 5 - 7 minutes making sure the center gets nice and cooked. I've had a few times of not letting it cook thoroughly enough and have had a center that was too mushy. Leave it on the heat a couple extra minutes if in doubt. Serve with your choice of condiments and topping. As shown  below, I used avocado, cilantro and sriracha to garnish. You can also add a nice dollop of your favorite hummus like the first photo in which I used an avocado hummus. Both ways are delicious!

Savory Chickpea Pancake/Flatbread

Ingredients (makes two/serves two)

• 2/3 cup garbanzo bean flour
• 2/3 cup water
• 1/2 heaping teaspoon baking soda
• pinch of turmeric (will give it a yellow color), optional
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• mineral salt, to taste
• juice of 1/2 small lemon or 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 2/3 cup lacinato kale (aka: Tuscan/dinosaur) or spinach, julienned and loosely packed
• small handful sliced mushrooms
• 1/2 shallot, diced
• 7 grape tomatoes, halved or quartered depending on the size

Preheat griddle on medium.

In a medium size bowl, combine flour, water, baking soda, optional turmeric, cumin, garlic powder and salt to taste. Mix well ensuring all the flour lumps are gone. Add in lemon, stir and you will notice the batter rise and foam a bit. Add in veggies and combine thoroughly. (Note: I don't really measure the vegetables, so this is an approximation)

Pour 1/2 of the mixture onto preheated griddle or skillet. You can use your spatula to move the veggies around and flatten as needed if they are piled up in areas. Also you can help make your pancake round by gently pushing in the edges where needed. There may be times when it appears that you have more veggies than batter, don't panic....in a few minutes the batter will puff up from the baking soda and fill in making it look fluffy and full. Let cook for 5 minutes. Flip and cook another 5 - 7 minutes, making sure the batter cooks throughout nicely. 

Serve with your choice of condiments. A thinned hummus would also be great! Pairs well with fresh fruit on the side.

Enjoy!

Inspired and adapted from Cake Maker To The Stars. She has various versions on her blog, check it out for more inspiration!