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Wild Rice & Blueberry Pancakes

This pancake recipe features wild rice and blueberries, two ingredients that bear strong cultural significance for many Indigenous communities in Canada and the United States. Wild rice is particularly popular for the Anishinaabek who call this traditional and nutritious staple “manoomin”. Wild rice was introduced by the Creator and brought sustenance and traditions. However, the appropriation of wild rice and branding as a gourmet product has compromised Indigenous Peoples’ food sovereignty. Highly nutritious, manoomin remains important to the Ojibwe diet today and is also one of several feast foods, traditionally served during ceremonies or community feasts. (Source: http://glifwc.org/WildRice/) There is true wild rice which is hand-harvested by locals and cultivated/paddy wild rice, which is the most readily available commercial variety. Whenever possible, support Indigenous-owned brands and harvesters and reserve limited traditional foods for Indigenous Peoples. (Source: https://www.mnopedia.org/thing/wild-rice-and-ojibwe)
Total Time 45 minutes
Cuisine Indigenous Canadian
Calories 560 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 3 eggs
  • 2 tsp brown sugar
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tbsp butter melted
  • 1/2 cup wild rice cooked according to packaging
  • 1 cup blueberries fresh or frozen

Instructions
 

  • Mix eggs and sugar with a whisk for 30 seconds in a medium bowl. Add milk and vanilla stir until combined.
  • Grind oats in a blender or food processor until it’s the same texture as flour.
  • Whisk together the oats, flour, salt and baking powder in a large bowl. Stir the milk and egg mixture into the oats and flour mixture. Don’t over mix just enough to get the batter wet.
  • Fold in melted butter with a spatula, then fold in blueberries and cooked wild rice.
  • Heat a griddle or flat pan over medium heat until hot.  Ladle on a quarter cup of batter for each pancake. Let the pancake cook until bubbles stop popping in the center of the pancake, about 3 minutes. Check the bottom of the pancake that it is a golden colour. Adjust heat up slightly if it is still pale and down if it looks too black. Flip pancakes and cook for about a minute.
  • Pancakes can be kept in a warm oven or enjoyed with your favourite toppings.

Notes

Recipe adapted from http://iffculture.ca/recipe/wild-rice-blueberry-pancakes/
Recipe Tip
When possible, try sourcing ingredients and toppings from Indigenous entrepreneurs such as jam from Parenteau's Gourmet Foods.
Nutrition Facts
Disclaimer: the Nutrition Facts table reflects an approximation of the recipe’s nutrient content based on data from Canadian Nutrient File by Health Canada as of August 2020. The nutrient values are estimates and actual amounts will vary by ingredient source, freshness, preparation etc.