Sweet Potato Pancakes with Brown Sugar Butter Sauce

One of my favorite Fall breakfasts is Sweet Potato Pancakes – they are AH-mazing.  So I set off to find a way to make them a little healthier and I came across this recipe online from a place called Highland Bakery.  I changed it up a bit and they were delicious – you won’t even know they are better for you…I think it has something to do with the Brown Sugar Butter Sauce…okay, honesty time:  there’s no making that sauce healthier, but I compared ¼ cup of this sauce to real maple syrup…and this wins in the calorie category…by 200 calories…so um, you’re welcome.

Recently, I was craving breakfast for dinner and I knew Hubby would really like these.  And even though this sounds like a decadent meal (yah, it really is!), it’s still under 500 calories per serving and you will be full and satisfied with 2 big pancakes and the most delicious sauce slathered all over them!

Ingredients:

Pancakes:

1 medium sweet potato, baked, scooped, then mashed with a fork (You can also use canned sweet potato puree; about 1 cup)

½ cup white flour

½ cup white whole wheat flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 T brown sugar

1 cup lowfat or fat free milk

¼ cup egg substitute

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla extract

Coconut oil to grease skillet (you can also use canola oil, or even nonstick cooking spray)

Brown Sugar Butter Sauce:

½ stick unsalted butter

½  cup packed brown sugar

2 T water

Preparation:

If you are using a fresh sweet potato, you have two options:

1)    Oven:  Wash and scrub the potato, preheat your oven to 400 degrees, pierce the potato with a fork, wrap in foil and bake for about 45 minutes

2)    Microwave:  Wash and scrub the potato, pierce it with a fork and then microwave for about 5 minutes

Once the sweet potato is cooked, scooped, and mashed, mix all of the ingredients for the pancakes together in a medium bowl, except coconut oil.

Heat a large skillet over med/high heat and melt the coconut oil (or spray with nonstick spray).

Scoop 1/3 cup of the batter for each pancake, and ladle it onto the hot skillet.  Cook until bubbles form on the top; flip with a spatula to cook the other side.

Meanwhile, for the sauce, in a small saucepan melt butter oven med/low heat.  Add the brown sugar and stir.  Add the water and then simmer for about 8 minutes in order for the brown sugar to dissolve.  Serve warm on top of the pancakes.

OMG, these are soooo yummy!!

Nutrition:

Serves 4 (2 pancakes each)

Calories 431 / Carbs 63g / Fat 16g / Protein 8g / Fiber 4g / Sodium 768mg