Ever since I stopped eating dairy, I have been looking for pancakes that I can eat. There are some gluten-free pancakes in the freezer at Trader Joe’s that are okay but they don’t really compare with the nice, puffy homemade pancakes I make for my husband and daughter. Recently, I checked out a book from the library, The Kid-Friendly Food Allergy Cookbook, and found it difficult to return. We tried a few of the recipes and the were all very good; it is a book I will be buying. My favorite recipe was for Buttermilk Pancakes. As for many of the recipes, there are variations and the dairy-free variation used a buttermilk substitute.

Buttermilk Pancakes
2 eggs, beaten until foamy
2 c rice flour
2 T sugar, optional
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 c soy yogurt
1 c rice milk
2 T lemon juice
.25 c butter* or margarine
2 tsp vanilla

The pancake batter requires low, slow cooking on a griddle or skillet. The first time I made them I had the heat set too high and they burned without cooking all the way through. I am used to quick-cooking pancake mixes and had to find patience while waiting when I made them the second time. Everyone in the family liked them.

*Since my daughter cannot have corn or nuts, we use butter for cooking. It doesn’t seem to bother me too much. I have not found a margarine or butter substitute that does not have either milk or corn in it.

The best part about the buttermilk substitute of soy yogurt, rice milk and lemon juice is that it can easily be used in other recipes. I have a cake recipe I am going to try it in.

Buttermilk Substitute
.5 c soy yogurt
.5 c rice milk
1 T lemon juice

use in place of 1 c buttermilk.