Low Fat Pumpkin Pancakes........

I'm starting out the New Year right and lightening up any recipe that I think could make a difference in my waistline.   Low fat pumpkin pancakes is a keeper.  Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1/2  cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1  tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 large egg
• 1 tbsp canola oil
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/3 cup pure pumpkin

Mix flours, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice together in a bowl. Combine egg, oil, buttermilk and pumpkin in another bowl. Stir pumpkin mixture into dry ingredients. Let stand for five minutes. Use a 1/4 cup of batter per pancake and pour onto a hot griddle or nonstick frying pan that has been oiled or sprayed with non stick spray.  Flip pancakes when bubbles appear and edges are cooked.  I toasted a few pecans and served them on top with genuine New Hampshire maple syrup.
Makes 8-10 smaller sized pancakes .

Pumpkin Time...

I enjoy a good micro-brewed seasonal beer.  Now that fall has arrived you can find all kinds of specialty beer on the shelves.  There have been some good ones over the years, but this pumpkin beer is one of the best I have had.  I first dipped the glass in soda water and then sugared the rim with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar.  Delicious!

Somewhere out there in party land there is a recipe that adds a shot of vanilla vodka to the beer.  I'm not that adventurous.  The warmth of the cinnamon and sweetness of the sugar were enough to hold my attention.
I chose to purchase a New England regional beer from the Shipyard Brewery out of Portland Maine, but I'm sure there are loads of local breweries near you that have a delicious pumpkin beer available.  Pumpkin beer is a flavorful way to welcome in fall.  Cheers!