gluten-free and dairy-free rice-flour pancakes with a carrot-cake pancakes variation and a turmeric variation

I'll start with the basic rice-flour pancake recipe that I nabbed (and slightly changed) from Laura Fuentes, then show you two variations that we love and that I made up myself! 

Rice-Flour Pancakes 

You'll need:

• 2 cups rice flour
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1.5 cups soy milk (or milk of choice)
• 3 tablespoons katakuriko (Japanese potato starch) or cornstarch

Do this:

Mix it all up in a bowl dance party, then cook in oil on a griddle. Yum yum. I like mine with honey or peanut butter. 

Carrot-Cake Rice-Flour Pancakes

You'll need:

• the above ingredients
• two grated carrots
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon powdered ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Warm and Spicy Carrot-Apple Turmeric Pancakes

You'll need:

• the basic rice-flour pancake ingredients
• one grated carrot
• two peeled and finely chopped apples
• 1 tablespoon turmeric
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon powdered ginger
• dash of nutmeg

If you can't finish these in one sitting with your family, they freeze well between baking paper and sealed in a freezer bag. These recipes work for 4 of us, and anything leftover I eat during the week when my guys have oatmeal. 

Bon pancake appetit! 

elana's pantry's (sort of) paleo fruitcake

This is a cake from Elana's Pantry that I try to make every Christmas, and I use two small glass loaf pans that I grease first. Two of these tiny cakes don't seem like much, but they are dense. I tend to use whatever dried fruit I can find here in Japan. (It's not totally Paleo because I don't use the coconut ingredients that she calls for.)

You'll need: 

• 1.5 cups almond flour
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup dates, with pits removed and then chopped
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup dried cherries (I usually use dried cranberries instead)
• 1 cup walnuts, chopped
• 4 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
• 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon orange zest (or soak the fruit in orange curacao instead)
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest

Do this:

Combine your dry ingredients, then add in the fruit and walnuts. In a separate bowl, mix the wet ingredients, and then stir them into the dry ones.

Into your greased mini loaf pans they go.

Bake 350/170 for 20-30 minutes, and try not to eat it up all at once.