To move, according to Merriam-Webster, is simply “to change one’s residence or location.” The past week has been so much more than that. This move has meant saying goodbye to friends, feeling guilty for increasing the distance between me and my family, and asking for lots of help. There has been a lot of packing… and unpacking… which is hard work if you’re a food blogger/borderline hoarder.
This move is bittersweet. One minute I’m filled with optimism, the next I want to cry and run home to my friends and family. While my family will be in Oklahoma for the foreseeable future, my closest friends are leaving the town I’ve called home for the past 8 years. I took their exodus as a cue to leave—the town was feeling too small as it was, like a shirt that’s too tight. The boxes are slowly clearing and my new space is feeling more livable. I’m taking this opportunity to downsize, which isn’t entirely a choice given that I have half the storage space in my new kitchen. I’ve amassed far too many breakable glasses and serving pieces over the past few years. Would you believe that I filled an entire box with oils and vinegars?
I’ve been subsisting on take-out leftovers for the past few days, so after I finally got my kitchen halfway organized yesterday evening, I decided I deserved some comfort food. My kind of comfort food isn’t biscuits and gravy, it’s blueberry pancakes doused in real maple syrup. For dinner. I served it with a glass of white wine, because why not? Speaking of which, I’ve learned that in Missouri, I can buy chilled wine, in a grocery store, on a Sunday. I cannot do any of those things in Oklahoma. Maybe this place is all right.
One last thing—I adapted these pancakes from my banana oat pancakes recipe, which has been a huge hit with all but a particular treat for gluten-free eaters. The beauty of these gluten-free pancakes is that they only require one type of flour and a few standard ingredients. In this adaptation, I just traded plain yogurt for the mashed banana, adjusted the spices, and added a bit of lemon zest and a cup of ripe blueberries. If you’re in the mood for more blueberry lemon goodness, check out my blueberry lemon muffins and scones, which are made with yogurt as well.
P.s. Behind the scenes: *Yogurt options: I’ve successfully used plain, low-fat yogurt and whole-milk Greek yogurt. **Make it gluten free: Be sure to use certified gluten-free oat flour or oats. To make oat flour out of old-fashioned oats, pour one cup of oats into a food processor and process until it is very finely ground. One cup before and after grinding measures about the same, believe it or not!
