Eat Me Now!: Healthy Macrobiotic Cooking for Students and Busy People by Melanie Brown Waxman

Orange Pecan Pancakes from Melanie Brown Waxman's new book “Eat Me Now! – Healthy Macrobiotic Recipes for Students and Busy People”

Serves: 2-4 people

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup cornmeal (stone-ground, if possible)
1/4 oat flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup fresh orange juice
1 cup sparkling water
1 teaspoon finely-grated (organic) orange zest
1 tablespoon safflower oil
1/2 cup. finely-chopped toasted pecans
Maple syrup or rice syrup

Utensils:
Large skillet, mixing bowl and whisk

Preparation:
In a large bowl, whisk the flour, cornmeal, oat flour, baking powder, and salt together well.
Add the orange juice, zest and water. Stir briefly, just to mix—lumps are okay. (This batter is a little runnier than ordinary pancake batter—the cornmeal really sucks up the liquid as it cooks.)
Let sit for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile heat the skillet on a high flame for 10 seconds. You can add a few drops o f water and if they dance about and evaporate, the pan is ready.
Add the oil and heat for another ten seconds.
Using a ladle, drop a small amount of the pancake mixture into the skillet to form small circles of batter. I like to make small pancakes, no larger than 4” across -- vegan pancakes seem to cook better this way.
Add another pancake if you have space.
Turn the flame to medium.
Fry on a medium flame and wait until bubbles appear in the batter.
Turn the pancakes over and fry a further minute.
Don’t overcook these—they should still be kind of puffy when they are ready. If you let them overcook, they’ll go flat and won’t be as light and cakey as they should be. Serve hot immediately with maple syrup and toasted pecans.

Well known Macrobiotic teacher and healer, Melanie Waxman has worked with clients and students from all over the world, including the famous Boy George. Her studies in Oriental medicine began in the 80’s and she went on to specialize in Feng Shui, Macrobiotic cooking, writing and massage. Her classes, which range from large seminars to private sessions, are packed with practical information and combined with her English wit, are considered to be a life changing experience. Her common-sense approach to health and healing is easy to apply, down to earth, and realistic. Melanie has lived in England, Portugal and the US and is the single mother of 7 children who range in age from 10 to 23. Her written work includes a series of 12 Upbeat Macrobiotic Cooklets that are used worldwide, Mr. Hoppity’s Color Me Cookbook for Kids and Bless the Baby (published by Carroll and Brown). She also writes for numerous magazines and web sites and has been quoted in British Vogue and Woman’s Own. Melanie currently maintains an active alternative health practice in Chester County, PA.