Pumpkin Season!!

and what better meal for pumpkin than breakfast!

Souffled Pumpkin Pancake

5 Tbsp butter (or Earth Balance)

1 Tbsp brown sugar (or dark agave nectar)

1/4 cup pecan halves (I use more because I like them)

2/3 C Jules' Nearly Normal All-Purpose Flour (or wheat flour)

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/3 C sugar (or Stevia, Truvia - NOT Aspartame)

1/4 tsp salt

4 eggs, separated

2/3 C buttermilk *

1 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1 C pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

Confectioners' sugar for dusting if desired

Maple syrup for serving

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Melt 2 Tbsp butter in a 10" skillet over medium-low heat. (I use a cast-iron skillet that can go directly into the oven.) Add the brown sugar and stir until the sugar begins to melt. Add the pecans and cook, stirring, for 2 more minutes. Transfer the pecan mixture to a small dish and set aside. Reserve the skillet for the pancake, including the butter and sugar left in it.

Melt 3 Tbsp butter in a large microwave-safe bowl. Set aside to cool slightly.

In a small bowl or on some wax paper, measure the flour, pumpkin pie spice, sugar and salt. Set aside.

Add the egg yolks, buttermilk and vanilla to the melted and cooled butter and whisk until blended. Gradually whisk in flour mixture and stir in the pumpkin puree.

Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form and gently fold into the pumpkin mixture. Lightly spoon the batter into the reserved skillet. Sprinkle the top of the pancake mixture with the reserved pecan mixture. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Dust the pancake with confectioners' sugar if desired. Cut into wedges and serve with or without maple syrup -- it's lovely alone.

In the Spring I make this using mashed ripe banana and top it with toasted coconut and macadamia nuts! Yumm.

* If you're avoiding dairy, make your own buttermilk by placing 2 tsp. of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar in the bottom of a glass measuring cup, then fill it up to the 2/3 mark with your choice of almond, soy or rice milk. Let it sit for about 5 minutes while the acid curdles the milk and turns it to buttermilk! The basic proportion is 1 Tbsp/cup of milk.