Carrot Cake Pancakes

Pancakes are probably my favorite breakfast because they are so filling and because the basic pancake recipe is so flexible. Growing up, my mom would make Hungry Jack pancakes from the blue box--the one to which you had to add eggs, milk, and oil--as a special treat for dinner. Well, we thought it was a special treat, but really she probably liked making breakfast for dinner because it was quick and easy--a nice break for her! We loved "gushers," which were pancakes that were just barely cooked on each side, so that the middle was all gooey with uncooked batter. My husband thinks this is totally unappetizing, but for me the raw middle makes for an extra-creamy, melt in your mouth texture that is just as much superior to a well-done pancake as cookie dough is to the baked cookie. If you're not with me on the cookie dough, then I guess you wouldn't go for the gusher. But, whatever your pancake preferences, these carrot cake pancakes are worth the extra time in the morning. Abiline, my 14 month old, really liked that they turned out soft so that she could gum them easily. Still only 6 teeth in that little mouth.

1 1/2 c. white whole wheat flour, or whole wheat pastry flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
3 medium carrots, finely grated
1/4 c. raisins, soaked in boiling water for 10 mins, then drained.
1/2 c. yogurt (I used homemade coconut milk yogurt)
3/4 c. diced pineapple with juice
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. orange extract
1/2 tsp. coconut extract (optional)
1 1/4 c. non-dairy milk (I used So Delicious coconut)
2 Tbsp. melted coconut oil or canola oil

1. Preheat your griddle or frying pan over medium heat. Grease generously if not using non-stick. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a medium mixing bowl.
2. In a food processor, combine the carrots, raisins, yogurt, pineapple, extracts, non-dairy milk, and oil and puree. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir just until well blended.
3. Pour batter by 1/4 cup fulls onto the preheated griddle and cook for 3-5 minutes, until bubbly around the edges. Flip the pancakes and cook for another few minutes on the other side--just 1-2 minutes for gushers, or until you press on the pancake with the pancake turner and nothing oozes, if you are of the full-cooked persuasion.