As much as I eat my fair share of avocado toast, I love a pancake breakfast. Eggs or toast can be equally satisfying, but there’s something inherently special about pancakes. They always signify an occasion, or leisure weekend breakfast. These little chestnut cakes are super flavorful and will hold you over thanks to the addition of the beloved chia seeds. Be sure to top them with your favorite fruit and a little powdered sugar for some extra sweetness.

CHESTNUT & CHIA PANCAKES (Gluten-free, Vegan) Makes about 10 pancakes

3/4 cup chestnut flour
1/3 cup oat flour
2 tablespoons chia seeds
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup coconut or brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup almond milk
1/2 lemon, juice + zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Coconut oil, for frying
Maple syrup, for serving

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. In a small mixing bowl, stir together almond milk, lemon juice, zest and chia seeds. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together chestnut flour, oat flour, baking powder, brown sugar, nutmeg and salt. Whisk in eggs and vanilla extract to the almond milk mixture and then fold wet ingredients into dry. Mix until combined well. Chill batter for 20-25 minutes.

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add about 1 tablespoon of coconut oil before pouring approximately 1/4 cup of batter per pancake. These pancakes take very little time to cook, so flip after 1-2 minutes. Make sure pan always has enough coconut oil to coat the bottom, so add when needed.

Once pancakes are fully cooked, add them to a paper-towel lined plate to absorb excess liquid. Then, add finished pancakes to a parchment-lined baking sheet and store in the oven to keep warm while you continue frying. Repeat until you have 8-10 pancakes. Top with fresh berries, sifted powdered sugar and maple syrup. Serve warm!

I love the few moments when you come across an inspiring recipe and miraculously have all of the ingredients on hand. Since I can be somewhat of an impulsive baker, adapting a recipe so that it's unrecognizable just so I can make it immediately, the recipe for Jam Sunflower Thimbles was a perfect fit. Green Kitchen Stories is a site I've admired for years, but sadly never made a recipe from. I decided to adapt this lovely recipe using chestnut flour, a beloved new ingredient I cannot stop using. Luckily, these "cookies" are healthy enough where you won't feel too bad binging, and I promise you won't be able to stop yourself either.

CHESTNUT SUNFLOWER JAM THIMBLES (Gluten-free, Dairy-free) Makes 12-15 cookies

1 cup chestnut flour
1 cup almond flour
1/2 cup oat flour
1 1/2 tablespoon arrowroot starch
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons coconut oil or butter
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 eggs
2/3 cup sunflower seeds, finely chopped
1/2-3/4 cup of your favorite jam or preserve (I used a combination of apricot, red fruit & quince)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Combine first six ingredients. Whisk together until well combined. In another mixing bowl, stir together coconut oil, maple syrup and eggs.

Add wet ingredients to dry, mixing well with hands to combine. Chill dough for 20-30 minutes.

Add finely chopped sunflower seeds to a small mixing bowl. Once dough has chilled, take about 1 heaping tablespoon of dough and roll around to coat in sunflower seeds on all sides. Use your thumb to puncture the dough and fill in with your favorite jam or preserve.

Add cookies to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown and holds shape. Let cool for 15 minutes or so, then enjoy! These are great as a sweet treat or a protein-packed afternoon snack ;)