paleo carrot cake pancakes

I have several friends who have adopted the Paleo lifestyle as their standard diet...most notably one of my favorite people in the whole world. Erienne, this post is for you, dear friend. :)

Having enjoyed several 'caveman diet'-friendly meals at E's house in the past...and always intrigued by the plethora of recipes that pop up on Pinterest...I decided to venture on the wild side and try whipping up one of them myself. Now, if there are two things I can't resist, they're carrot cake and pancakes. So, a guilt-free breakfast that offers both of those in one? I'm game.

The conclusion? The texture of these is probably never going to be mistaken for ol' fashioned buttermilk pancakes. Slightly more eggy and tender than the norm thanks to the obvious absence of gluten, they still manage to be extremely light with just the right amount of chewiness. As for the taste, the carrot and spice flavors truly shine through and are perfectly accented by a splash of agave nectar or honey (which I'm not sure are technically in line with strict Paleo) and a pat of coconut oil (aren't you proud, Erienne?). In other words, they're worth making. Today.

Oh, and in case you missed it, the National Book Festival took place this past weekend on The Mall in DC. First hosted by the lovely Laura Bush in 2001 and organized yearly by the Library of Congress, this fabulous event stretches much of the distance between the Capitol and the Washington Monument, filling the lawn with big white tents and hundreds of thousands of people. Famous authors from across the country came for speeches/Q&A sessions and book signings...including R.L. Stine (of Goosebumps fame) and former Olympian Dominique Moceanu. I think it's safe to say that I wasn't the only one who was starstruck...

Paleo Carrot Cake Pancakes
Yield: approximately 5 medium pancakes

1/2 cup almond meal
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup carrots, shredded (approximately 2 medium)
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup canned coconut milk
2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 tablespoons coconut flour or arrow root
1/4 cup raisins (I used golden raisins)
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
coconut oil
agave nectar, honey, or maple syrup

Mix all of the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Add the carrots, eggs, coconut milk, oil, raisins, and walnuts. Mix thoroughly.

Preheat a large skillet on medium-high heat, and add enough coconut oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Pour batter into small mounds on the hot surface. Cook until bubbles form on the surface and bottom is golden brown, 3-4 minutes. Flip and continue to cook until the bottom surface is golden brown, about 1 minute.

Serve with coconut butter and agave nectar.

Adapted from paleOMG