Lifestyle
By Lauren Kruchten at North Carolina State University
You probably use the box of pancake mix sitting in your pantry for, obviously, pancakes (or waffles if you're blessed enough to have a waffle maker). But what if I told you that a bag of Birch Benders pancake mix could actually allow you to make a whole bunch of other delicious foods. Birch Benders is a micro-pancakerythat sells pancake and waffle mix nationwide. Their products are organic, trans-fat free, and non-GMO. They sell a wide variety ofmixes, ranging from chocolate chip to pumpkin spice, and they even sell gluten-free, paleo, and protein varieties.
So if you're broke and/or too lazy to ever go to the store, get hyped because Birch Benders is all you need to make everything from scones to pizza to shrimp, all within your dorm hall or apartment kitchen. Read on to get some superb recipes that'll impress your friends and family when you tell them they're made from pancake mix.
Gluten-Free Bacon Scones
To me, scones seem like a fancy breakfast eaten by a queen with tea as she sits on her throne making plans for her kingdom. We can't all live that luxurious lifestyle, but maybe by whipping up these gluten-free bacon scones you can daydream about it. As a bonus, they require only 5 ingredients, one of them being 7Up, as odd as that sounds. You can use either the original pancake mix or the gluten-free variety. The result is a fluffy, warm, bacon-filled pastry fit for royalty, or your average self.
Biscuits and Gravy
This Southern classic is made way easier with a simple bag of pancake mix. The mix results in thick, fluffy biscuits that are perfect for sopping up homemade sausage gravy. If you're from the South, whip this up when you're feeling homesick and are in need of some comfort food. You'll feel even better that you prepared it all by yourself, no help from mom or dad needed.
Carrot Cake
Carrot cake is the cake you make when you're trying to be healthy but you still want to celebrate (although if you showed up to my birthday party with a carrot cake instead of funfetti, I'd be low-key pissed). Luckily, Birch Benders pancake mix makes for some pretty great carrot cake, even if the sugar to vegetable ratio isn't as favorable as say, this beautiful rainbow roll cake. For an even greater cinnamon flavor, try to make it with the six grain cinnamon pancake mix.
Paleo Snack Bites
In case you didn't know, the paleo diet consists of eating foods like what the cavemen ate, including nuts, legumes, fresh fruits, vegetables, and meat. It excludes all dairy and grain products, but luckily these snack bites can be made with Birch Benders paleo pancake mix so you're good to go. These snack bites also incorporate coconut oil, shredded coconut, ginger, and molasses, allowing you to satisfy your sweet tooth without all the bad ingredients of say, a chocolate bar.
Gluten-Free Baked Shrimp
This one's great for last minute date nights when you're really trying to make a good impression but actually don't cook much. You simply have to marinate the shrimp, then bread it with Birch Benders classic or gluten-free pancake mix and some cornmeal, then bake. It's healthier than traditional fried shrimp at a seafood restaurant, and will be sure to impress your date enough for a second one.
Ice Cream Sandwiches
I was as surprised as you probably are right now when I found out cookies could be make with pancake mix. I'm now thinking back to all of those nights where I desperately wanted cookies but didn't think I had the proper ingredients to make them. Well, now I know. You can also add in as much chocolate chips, peanut butter, M&M's, or other mix-in that you'd like. Once you've baked and cooled the cookies, sandwich your favorite ice cream between two of them and daydream of hot summer days when there were no exams and you had a nice tan. Oh, those were the days.
PaleoBanana Bread
Here's yet another genius use for pancake mix you probably didn't know about until now. You could really use any variety of Birch Benders pancake mix for this one. Pumpkin Spice is great for fall entertaining, Chocolate Chip is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth, and Double Chocolate Peppermint might become your favorite holiday dessert. The recipe uses only the pancake mix, coconut oil, and ripe bananas, making this a great food to make when you're pantry is almost at empty.
Tomato Pancetta Tartlets
These tartlets are the perfect party appetizer for making you seem like the hostess with the mostess. The classic Birch Benders pancake mix is spiced up with Italian seasoning and baked in muffin tins. Fill them with colorful, ripe, heirloom tomatoes and pancetta to yield a fancy appetizer that's as easy as pie (but way cuter).
Double Chocolate Banana Brownies
Dried bananas are often ignored in the grocery store, but they're put to great use in these chewy, chocolately brownies. You can use the original mix, or get crafty with the Double Chocolate Peppermint variety for holiday season. The Chocolate Chip mix is perfect to use as well, because the more chocolate the better, right?
Vanilla Coconut Chicken Tenders
While chicken tenders from Chick-fil-A are great and all, too many can be bad news for your health and bod. These tenders, on the other hand, are far more sophisticated, and since they're made with Birch Benders pancake mix they're way healthier for you. Dipping them in the maple vanilla crusted coconut chips will also give them a little pizzaz you can't get at a fast food joint.
Glazed Cinnamon Apple Muffins
There's no better start to the morning (especially an early one) than these warm, sweet apple muffins. They're made from the six-grain cinnamon pancake mix along with almond milk and applesauce, making them a relatively healthy treat. The vanilla glaze on top adds the perfect touch of sweetness. Make them ahead of time and pop them in the microwave in the morning for a quick and delicious breakfast before you rush out to class.
Pizza
Who needs greasy takeout pizza when Birch Benders pancake mix can make the perfect homemade pizza dough you can make at home? You can easily add some Italian seasonings to this dough to spice it up, and/or coat the crusts with garlic butter for a nice treat after you've finished each slice. To make your homemade pizza uber healthy, load it up with fresh veggies, you know, to counteract all the cheese you plan on putting on it too.
Six-Grain Cinnamon Hushpuppies
In my own humble opinion, hushpuppies are the crowned jewel of food in the South. There's nothing that quite compares to the crunchy outside and warm, fluffy inside of these fried bites of heaven. Birch Benders has come up with a sweet twist on the original savory hushpuppy, using their six-grain cinnamon pancake mix and a final dusting of powdered sugar. The resulting dessert goes best with a sweettwo-ingredient quick jam bursting with bright, fresh raspberries.
Disclaimer: I received this pancake mix free of charge, but all opinions are my own.
