Easy low carb blender pancakes packed with coconut flour and chia seed and topped with sugar-free wild blueberry syrup. A heart-healthy breakfast for National Heart Month!
This one goes out to my dad, who just had hip replacement surgery. Everything went very smoothly but of course, it is still major surgery and comes with all the associated concerns, pain and recovery. They told him he would be up and about walking within hours of surgery. And he was, if you count pushing a walker inches ahead of you and shuffling along behind it, while attached by a safety belt to your physical therapist in case you slip or fall. I know it’s not exactly the “up and about walking” my father was envisioning. And I think no matter how much you prepare for these things, they hurt more and wear you out more than you might expect. So here’s to my dad and his recovery, and his deep and abiding love of wild blueberries.
He really does love fresh wild blueberries with a passion. Every summer, our family gathers together up at a cottage a few hours outside of Toronto, right in the middle of Ontario blueberry season. I think he may have chosen this particular cottage because it’s located a half a kilometre or so down the road from a produce stand that sells wild blueberries. And he loads up on them. No matter what the cost, he buys the big, big basket and it sits on the kitchen counter for everyone to snack on. And when that’s gone, and it usually is within a few days, he buys another. And another. And lord have mercy on your soul if you come home from the grocery store with the big cultivated berries, because they just aren’t the same and he won’t even touch them. The man knows what he wants!
Of course, it’s February now and Ontario wild blueberry bushes are buried under many feet of snow. But it’s also National Heart Month and blueberries have plenty of anti-oxidants that help protect our tickers. So if you’re looking for a blueberry-filled heart healthy breakfast, you’re going to need to grab a bag of the frozen kind. Hey, if you’re boiling them into a syrup like this, it hardly matters. All that great wild blueberry flavour comes through loud and clear.
Pancakes are pretty easy to make as it is, but mixing up the ingredients in your blender make them even easier. No more lumpy pancake batter, and you can pour it straight onto your hot griddle. I wanted to develop a good, heart-friendly breakfast recipe for Bob’s Red Mill, and these blender pancakes seemed like just the thing. Bob’s coconut flour is one of my favourite ingredients for low carb pancakes, but it’s so dense and can get compacted in the bag very easily so it can be hard to get a smooth batter when mixing by hand. And if we’re going for heart health, the addition of Bob’s chia seeds can only help – they offer plenty of dietary fiber and anti-oxidants as well. They grind up nicely in the blender and add great texture to the pancakes. They are delicious with the blueberry syrup and I honestly think this may be my new favourite low carb pancake recipe. I can hardly wait to make it for my dad in the summer!
Chia Seed Blender Pancakes with Wild Blueberry Syrup
Ingredients
Blueberry Syrup:
- 1 cup frozen wild blueberries
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup Swerve Sweetener
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp xanthan gum
Blender Pancakes:
- 6 large eggs
- 1 cup water
- 1/3 cup Bob's Red Mill coconut flour
- 3 tbsp Bob's Red Mill chia seeds
- 3 tbsp Swerve Sweetener
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
- Coconut oil spray for the pan
Instructions
Blueberry Syrup:
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine blueberries, water, and sweetener. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 5 to 7 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Sprinkle with xanthan gum and whisk quickly to combine. Let cool.
Pancakes:
- In a large, high-powered blender, combine the eggs, water, coconut flour, chia seeds, sweetener, baking powder, vanilla extract and salt.
- Heat a large griddle or skillet over medium heat and spray with coconut oil spray.
- Pour pancake batter into 4-inch circles and cook until bubbles begin to appear in the top of the pancake and the underside is set, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Gently flip pancakes and cook until second side is golden brown. Repeat with remaining batter. Note: Batter thickens as it sits so you may need to use a cooking utensil to spread it into a circle for the last few batches.
- Serve with butter and blueberry syrup.
Notes
Saturated fatty acids: 4.15g
Total fat: 9.46g
Calories from fat: 85
Cholesterol: 186mg
Carbohydrate: 6.73g
Total dietary fiber: 4.89g
Protein: 8.84g
Sodium: 251mg Wild Blueberry Syrup makes 1 cup. Serves 8 (2 tbsp per serving). Each serving has 3.63 g of carbs and 0.78 g of fiber. Total NET CARBS = 2.85 g. Food energy: 16kcal
Saturated fatty acids: 0.02g
Total fat: 0.12g
Calories from fat: 1
Cholesterol: --
Carbohydrate: 3.63g
Total dietary fiber: 0.78g
Protein: 0.13g
Nutrition
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill. As always, all thoughts, opinions, recipes, photography, random tangents and incoherent rambling is my own.
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I hope your father is doing well, best wishes on a speedy and easy recovery for him. These pancakes look amazing, especially all those wild blueberries. I wouldn’t mind a big barrel myself!
Made these for breakfast on Sunday and again for dinner tonight. They got thumbs up both times. The 1st time the syrup was a little thick so I cut back on the gum and this time it was perfect. Thanks so much for another hit recipe!! Oh yeah, I did sub in ground flaxseeds for the chia seeds and it worked like a charm!
My grandmother just had hip surgery too. It’s a painful recovery. Good luck to your dad. These pancakes look superb. Pinned.
Great idea using a blender. I’ll have to try that next time I make pancakes. Btw, I love that syrup pouring photo… Yum!
My little guys each devoured a stack of these on Saturday!
Oh that blueberry sauce….so heavenly!!
Ii enjoyed the pancakes. Made them this morning. I Just used fresh blueberries on top. They were a little eggy but as long as I got a bite of blueberry they were find. Thanks for the recipe .
Nothing like low bush berries…grew up in Maine, and got to pick lots!! On the way to the beach, the swimming pool, in the meadow overlooking the ocean…need I say more?? They are the BEST!! Wishing your dad a smooth and short recovery! Thanks for the recipes- was thinking my ‘berry pancake days’ were a thing of my past!!
I made these this morning for breakfast. Oh my, what a treat. The left over syrup will be perfect for flavoring my plain greek yogurt. I followed the recipe almost exactly (substituted 2 whole eggs with carton equivalent egg whites. However, it’s just my husband & so there are quite a few pancakes left over. I put them in a baggy after they cooled separated with parchment paper. Can these be frozen? How do you prefer to reheat these from the frigerator?
Hope your dad is recovering nicely & thanks again for all the great recipes!
I think they should be able to be frozen. We let them sit in the fridge for a few days and they do just fine. I’d thaw them out and then zap in the microwave or warm in the oven.
With frozen pancakes, I just pop them in my toaster oven and toast them using the light setting for toast, to reheat. Works great!
Blueberries and coconut and chia seeds in the one recipe! I’ve died and gone to heaven! Can’t wait to try these. I’m just eating some nut granola I made inspired by your choc hazelnut granola and it is amazing. Maybe I’ll make these for dessert tonight 🙂
Hi Carolyn,
I have come to realize and experience any recipe you create is always delicious. I will be making these today! You are an ANGEL in my eyes for being so creative and sharing all these creations! Thank you, thank you! You are much appreciated! Keep up the great work!
Chris
Thank you, Chris, for such lovely words!
Did you grind your chia seeds? If not, would it change the texture of the pancakes if I did?
No, I popped mine in and they got ground up in my blender. But if you don’t have a high-powered blender, then grinding them first might help.
Hi Carolyn,
Thanks for another great recipe. Sending up the prayers for your father’s speedy and pain-free recovery.
Linda
Store the extra syrup in the fridge, right?
Yes, please do! It will last for a few days in good order.
Get well soon, Carolyn’s dad!
There are days I wish I could hire you to bake for us. Blueberry pancake day is one of those days. I’d pay really well…if I had some money. 🙂 These look SO good.
Thanks, Sarah! You can pay me any time 😉
Haha!
Nuttin’ says lovin’ like heart shaped pancakes for Valentines Day. (Did you do that deliberately? )
These are on my to-do list – Thanks!
I did do that deliberately! I just kind of shaped a few of the pancakes into hearts once I had the batter on the griddle.
Yum! This looks so fantastic!
Another hit! Here in the North West we have Huckleberrys, not as good as wild blueberries but they do make great pies, syrup and muffins. Maybe a “huck” picking trip will be a “to do” with your family this fall.
Hmmm, I may have to try them!
Hope your father is doing well, a speedy recovery wish for him!
This recipe sounds great, I will definately make the syrup, have a freezer full of blueberries. Can I sub ground flaxseed or something else for the chia seeds? I don’t have any right now. Thanks again for all the great recipes.
Sure, you can use flax seed no problem.
We have a cottage on Lake Ontario and love staying there most of the summer! There’s a wild blueberry patch where you can pick for $2 a pound and I freeze roughly 20 pounds for the winter ~ just so I have enough blueberries for smoothies are wonderful recipes like these. I’m eager to try your healthier blender pancakes, so much better for you! Also have read that picking low-bush blueberry are better for you (even though you have to bend down or sit on the ground when picking) but they yield higher nutritional values! Wishing your dad a speedy recovery.
Thanks, Laura! And yes, I’ve heard about the low bush blueberries too. My sister-in-law lives in northern Maine and they grow right along the side of the road. We love sending the kids out to pick them!