This recipe caught my eye for many reasons.  1) zucchini bread is delicious 2) Smitten Kitchen recipes never lead me astray 3) sneaking veggies into breakfast is hard, but hiding them in sweet pancakes is brilliant 4) zucchini bread in pancake form?!

These pancakes come out kind of thick, so I’d recommend spreading them around to get a thinner pancake.  Also keeping them in the oven while you finish cooking them will help make sure they cook all the way through.  I topped these with some toasted walnuts, which add a delicious nutty crunch with these soft, pillowy cakes.

Zucchini Bread Pancakes

Makes about 12 pancakes

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

• 2 large eggs
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 large zucchini, shredded and squeezed out (about 1 1/2 packed cups)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

In a large bowl, combine eggs, oil, sugar, buttermilk and vanilla until smooth.  Stir in zucchini.  Sift in the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Stir dry ingredients into the wet until just combined.

Preheat oven to 250°F.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Once hot grease lightly, then scoop a scant 1/4 cup of batter.  Spread batter out a bit in the pan and when bubbles begin to form, flip the pancake.  Cook for about 1 minute, until browned on both sides, then remove to a pan and place in the oven while you finish cooking the rest.

Serve with toasted walnuts and a drizzle of maple syrup.