What Is Sourdough Starter?
Love that wonderful smell of bread baking in your kitchen or the neighborhood bakery? You know what I’m talking about. We get to smell it every day when we pop the top off our sourdough starter barrel to infuse our pancake batters with their special ingredient.
What is sourdough starter? Simply stated, our sourdough starter for pancakes is a combination of potato yeast, flour and sugar which we ferment for seven days into an alcoholic compound that’s been the secret ingredient in our pancakes for over 50 years. Do we have to do it? Of course not. Doesn’t everybody do it? Not anymore. It’s a tradition we keep alive because it quite simply makes the best pancakes you can find.
We make sourdough starter for pancakes in our own kitchen two or three times a week. It’s a product that must be supervised and tested throughout every step of its long process. We then add it to all our batters that contain buttermilk as the base. The finished batter then is used to create our beautifully light, fluffy, flavorful pancakes. We also use it to create our mouthwatering Sourdough Flap Jacks.
Why We Use Sourdough Starter for Pancakes
The fermentation process provides better flavor. The souring of grains has been practiced for generations and makes familiar foods taste better than their non-fermented counterparts. Sourdough starter for pancakes also actually boosts the flavors of toppings – namely natural fats and sweeteners – you like to add to your finished pancakes. It’s this sweet – rich – tangy flavor combination that makes our pancakes simply irresistible.
The fermentation process breaks down the fibers in whole grain flour. This process helps our pancakes attain their light, fluffy, delectable texture customers have come to love. It also makes grains easier to digest since the fiber is broken down before it even enters your digestive system. So as a prebiotic, sourdough starter for pancakes helps support a healthy gut.
The fermentation process enhances the vitamin content of food. This is most generally seen with B vitamins, as fermentation often increases or imparts B vitamins beyond what the raw food being fermented naturally contains (source).
Sourdough became extremely popular in San Francisco during the Gold Rush in 1849 when miners were known to carry the starter in pouches on their bodies to protect this precious commodity from freezing. California Klondike miners were even given the nickname “sourdoughs” because of their fondness for the bread. Known for its uniquely sour, tangy taste and chewiness, San Francisco sourdough bread can still be purchased at Boudin Bakery, originally opened at the height of the Gold Rush in 1849. Our own traditional, plate sized 49’er Flap Jacks are a tribute to this tradition near our roots in Oregon.
Enjoy Some Sourdough Pancakes at The Original Pancake House Denver!
Have we made you crave some of our irresistible sourdough infused buttermilk pancakes yet? When you need a delicious homemade breakfast made from scratch to start your day off right, stop by and enjoy a meal at The Original Pancake House. With two Denver area locations – Cherry Hills or Denver Tech Center – you can experience the wholesome goodness that makes breakfast at America’s finest pancake house a great idea any day of the week from 6:00 am to 2:00 pm. We look forward to welcoming you!
4 Quick, Easy, and Healthy Breakfast Recipes
Breakfast…it’s the meal that starts our day, the meal we look forward to, and the meal we love so much that we even eat it for lunch and dinner at times. But, because it’s usually the first meal of the day, it can also be the one we rush through as we try to get out the door in time. If this sounds like you, we’d like to offer you some suggestions for quick and easy healthy breakfast recipes.
Crock Pot Sausage and Egg Casserole Recipe
Breakfast casserole. This is a super simple, easy to make, healthy breakfast option you can make ahead. By making this casserole on a Sunday night and cutting it into pieces, you can have a healthy breakfast to go at your fingertips for several days in a row. You can even put the ingredients in your crock pot if it’s programmable, and let this casserole cook overnight. (If not, you can still use the crock pot, refrigerate the casserole when it’s done and reheat your portions in the morning.) Here’s a fast healthy breakfast recipe to get you started:
Ingredients:
- 1 medium head broccoli chopped
- 1 12- oz package Jones Dairy Farm Little Links cooked and sliced
- 1 cup shredded Cheddar divided
- 10 eggs
- 3/4 cup whipping cream
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
Directions:
- Grease the ceramic interior of a 6 quart slow cooker well.
- Layer one half of the broccoli, half of the sausage and half of the cheese into the slow cooker. Repeat with remaining broccoli, sausage and cheese.
- In a large bowl, whisk eggs, whipping cream, garlic, salt and pepper until well combined. Pour over layered ingredients.
- Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours or high for 2 to 3 hours, until browned on the edges and set in the center.
Eggy Muffins to Go Recipe
Here’s another variation of the egg casserole idea, using spinach or another favorite vegetable instead of broccoli and your muffin tin instead of your crock pot. Personalize these eggy muffins by switching up the ingredients – instead of bacon, use ground beef or ground turkey, or replace the spinach with another favorite veggie like mushrooms. Any way you make them, these little eggy breakfast muffins are a great answer to how to have a quick and easy, healthy breakfast.
Ingredients:
- Cooking spray or paper liners
- 6 eggs
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup cooked chopped spinach excess water removed
- 1/3 cup crumbled cooked bacon
- 1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat 6 muffin cups with cooking spray or line with paper liners.
- Crack eggs into a large bowl. Use a hand blender or whisk to blend the eggs until smooth.
- Add spinach, bacon and cheese to egg mixture and stir to combine.
- Divide the egg mixture among the 6 muffin cups.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the eggs are set.
- Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator until ready to eat.
No-bake Breakfast Granola Bars Recipe
If eggs aren’t your thing, here’s a great recipe for healthy homemade granola bars you’ll love for breakfast.
Ingredients:
- 1heaping cup packed dates (pitted)
- 1/4cup maple syrup, honey, or agave nectar
- 1/4cup creamy salted natural peanut butter or almond butter
- 1cup roasted unsalted almonds (loosely chopped)
- 1 1/2cups rolled oats
- Chocolate chips, dried fruit, nuts, banana chips, vanilla, cinnamon to taste
Directions:
- Process dates in a food processor until only small bits remain. It should form a dough-like consistency. If your dates are not sticky and moist, soak them in water for 10 minutes and drain before processing.
- Optional:Toast your oats (and almonds if raw) in a 350-degree F oven for 10-15 minutes or until slightly golden brown.
- Place oats, almonds and dates in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
- Warm honey and peanut butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir and pour over oat mixture and then mix, breaking up the dates to disperse throughout.
- Once thoroughly mixed, transfer to an 8x8-inch baking dish or other small pan lined with plastic wrap or parchment paper so they lift out easily.
- Press down firmly until uniformly flattened using something flat like a drinking glass to pack down the bars, which will help them hold together.
- Cover with parchment or plastic wrap and let the bars firm up in fridge or freezer for 15-20 minutes.
- Remove bars from pan and cut into 9 squares. Store in an airtight container for a few days.
Overnight Oats Recipe
This make-ahead breakfast takes advantage of antioxidant rich blueberries and healthy oats. Make ahead and eat cold or heat in the microwave if you prefer this delicious dish warm. Prep time is just five minutes, but this meal processes in the fridge overnight, hence the name!
Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup oats (gluten free or regular)
- ½ cup almond milk (I used Silk Original Light)
- 1 teaspoon chia seeds
- ½ tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons slivered almonds
- ½ medium banana, sliced
- 1/3 cup blueberries
Directions:
- In an airtight container, mix oats, almond milk, chia seeds, maple syrup, and vanilla.
- Seal the container and place in the fridge overnight.
- In the morning, stir oats and top with slivered almonds, sliced banana, and blueberries.
- Grab and go or pop in the microwave for 60 to 90 seconds if you prefer a warm breakfast.
After a busy week, treat yourself to a savory meal at The Original Pancake House. Let us make you breakfast at one of our Denver locations at Cherry Hills or Denver Tech Center. Unwind and enjoy the taste of our homemade easy healthy breakfast recipes any day of the week from 6:00 am to 2:00 pm. We look forward to welcoming you and your family!