Before we go into this recipe, I recommend adding sliced almonds to your grocery list.  They've been a welcomed addition to a variation of sweet and savory recipes, and a great way to add texture and depth to a dish. So, I've been in a bit of a "funk" lately and the cold weather isn't helping much, so like any person seeking instant gratification, I made pancakes.  I opted for gluten-free only because I've been wanting to perfect it for some time now, and though buckwheat is a great substitute in regular pancake batter, I think this combination of quinoa and oat flour actually tastes better.  Topped off with some fresh sautéed strawberries and a drizzle of dark amber maple syrup to start off my morning.

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Gluten-free Pancakes with Fresh Strawberries

1 cup quinoa flour 1 cup oat flour 1/3 cup organic plain non-fat yogurt 2 tablespoon maple syrup 3 teaspoons baking powder (double-acting) Pinch of salt Pinch of cinnamon 3/4 cup - 1 cup of organic almond milk 1 tsp vanilla extract 2 eggs, lightly beaten Butter of preferred cooking oil Sliced almonds, optional

1 cup strawberries, whole and/or halved 1/2 teaspoon sugar Zest of 1/2 orange juice, optional

Place strawberries in small saucepan on medium-low.  Add sugar and stir, allowing strawberries to soften (about 3-5 minutes, there should be some natural juices in the pan).  Remove strawberries from heat and add orange zest; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients including quinoa flour, oat flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon; set aside. In a medium bowl lightly beat eggs, then whisk in vanilla extract, yogurt, and 3/4 cup almond milk.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and mix until the two are incorporated. (You might need the last 1/4 cup of almond milk depending on the brand of flour, otherwise you don't really need it.)

Heat a griddle or non-stick pan on medium.  Grease the surface with butter (or cooking oil of choice).  Add 3-4 tablespoons of batter per pancake, then add a few sliced almonds onto each pancake.  Flip after 1-2 minutes.  Continue until batter is used up.

Top pancakes off with strawberries and a drizzle of maple syrup.