Eating for a Delicate Tummy - Lentil Pancakes with Prune Chutney

I struggle with IBS and food intolerances, which is something I've found a lot of people can relate to. It can be really daunting to try to make the necessary dietary changes to alleviate the discomfort of symptoms associated with food intolerance, IBS, and a whole host of other bad belly brewings. Two of the most common culprits are wheat and dairy, which are pretty pervasive in a Western diet. Of the two I've found dairy the easier to deal with. Yes, a world without cheese trays can be a sad and lonely place, but I dig goat cheese and almond milk, so making it through the day dairy-free is tolerable. Wheat though ... what a pain in the butt avoiding wheat is. Not gonna lie, I'm a carb-y girl, so a lot of my comfort foods are wheat based. Toast? Check. Biscuits? Check. Pancakes? Check check check.

Thankfully, there are a lot of non-wheat flour alternatives available, and as a result I have a growing collection of non-wheat, gluten free flours. It takes a little experimenting to find what works well in specific recipes, and often liquid levels need to be adjusted to compensate for a denser flour (I'm looking at you, coconut flour). Amaranth flour is supposed to have a slightly peppery flavour, but I haven't noticed it. I've only tried it in a few things so far; these pancakes were the best of the experiments. Pancakes that, bonus, (hopefully) won't make my trainers give me their stern voices. Because they're packed with lentils, yo. The prune chutney is a little more savory than your traditional syrup/jam/fruit compote pancake topping, but it works well with the lentils. Fructose can be a trigger for some people with IBS, so if that's a concern, this one might not be for you.

Both of these recipes are adapted from Recipes for IBS by Ashley Koff, RD, though they've both been changed up a bit. Trust me, they taste better than they look.

Lentil Amaranth Pancakes

1 cups cooked pink lentils
1/2 cup amaranth flour
3 tbsp almond oil
1 tsp cumin
1/2 cup almond milk

In a food processor combine all ingredients until well mixed.

Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat and spray with oil. Place a tablespoon of batter in the pan (I use a large enough pan to do four at a time). When the edges begin to brown, flip the pancake and flatten with the flipper. Continue cooking until done and serve with prune chutney.

Prune Nectarine Chutney

2 teaspoons canola oil
2 shallots, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup chopped fresh prunes
1 nectarine, coarsely chopped
1 tsp honey
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp freshly grated ginger

In a heavy sauce pot, cook the shallots in oil over medium heat, stirring to prevent them from burning, until softened. Stir in the prunes, nectarine, honey, ginger and vinegar and simmer approximately 10 minutes until prunes soften and nectarine is cooked.

Serve warm or cold over lentil pancakes. Garnish with toasted pine nuts. Enjoy.

For anyone dealing with IBS, food intolerances, ulcers or any other belly trouble, I highly recommend The Healthy Gut Workbook by Victor S. Sierpina, MD. It's an excellent resource for how to identify food sensitivities, acknowledge emotional triggers, and eat to support your immune system. 

~Melissa Gignac