Vegan Oatmeal-Date Pancakes

Yield: 8 pancakes

I love teaching school, but I also love the occasional ?2-hour delay? due to inclimate weather, especially when it?s due to a pretty dusting of frosty snow and ice such as the south has seen more of than usual this year. So, this morning, with a little extra time, gray skies, extremely cold temperatures?at least for Virginia?some oatmeal leftover from weekend recipe testing, and some dried fruit leftover from my annual holiday curry party, there was nothing to do but create yet another version of my beloved pancakes to warm up this winter day. If you haven?t tried spelt flour, I highly recommend it. My mother had purchased some when I was home for Christmas and, after making sweet potato pancakes with it, I knew that wouldn?t be the last time I would be unfaithful to plain ?ole whole wheat flour.

1/2 cup self-rising flour
1/2 cup spelt or whole wheat flour
1/2 cup old-fashioned or quick cooking oats
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
pinch salt
11/2 cups unsweetened soy milk (plain or vanilla soy milk would also be good--regular or lite)
1 cup chopped dates (or a combination of 1/3 cup each chopped dates, dried cranberries and unsweetened coconut chips or flakes)
Vegan butter and/or vegetable oil for frying
Accompaniment: maple syrup and a few pecan pieces

Preheat oven to warm. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together all ingredients except soy milk, fruit, and vegan butter/vegetable oil. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the soymilk. Stir together the mixture with a fork until it is well combined. Stir in dried fruit. In a large cast iron skillet or griddle over medium-high heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the vegan butter, oil or a combination. (I like a combination: the oil reduces chances of burning while the butter contributes flavor.) Using a 1/4 cup measure, make pancakes, two at a time. Cook a couple of minutes on the first side until you see a few bubbles, get a nice rise and the edges appear set. Gently flip and cook another couple of minutes on the reverse. Add butter and/or oil to keep skillet greased as needed. If pancakes are cooking too quickly, lower heat to medium, especially for second side. When cooked through, remove pancakes to plates or a serving platter, keep warm in an oven preheated to low, and repeat with remaining butter and/or oil and pancake batter. Serve warm with real maple syrup and pecan pieces.