Parents "Pumpkin" Pancakes

Getting my two young boys to eat breakfast can be a struggle on the best of days. They either wont eat anything or insist on the worst possible food choices. Eating a breakfast containing vitamins, fruits or veggies can be a particularly tricky endeavor. I was pleased when Parents magazine had a recipe for pumpkin pancakes, that looked like something my children would actually eat.

I found out after searching at three separate stores that none of the stores in my area carry canned pumpkin, except during the holiday season. You can find pumpkin puree for making pumpkin pie, but no straight canned pumpkin. I have bought it in previous years, but the organic sections of my local grocery stores have downsized due to low demand and they no longer carry the item year round. So I made a major substitution and used a cooked sweet potato, which I processed in my food processor to get rid of the strings. Everything else in the recipe I kept the same, except I didn't add fresh berried on top.

This recipe actually turned out very well with the sweet potato substitution. The taste was similar to a regular pancake and my kids couldn't tell the difference. Next year during the holidays I am planning on buying a baking pumpkin and making my own pumpkin to can and keep for the rest of the year when I will be unable to find it at my local stores. Then I will be able to try the recipe with pumpkin and compare which version I like better. This recipe is a great way to get more variety into my kids breakfast diet.

For the recipe go to Parents Pumpkin Pancakes (registration required).