Buttermilk Sweet Potato & Sausage Pancakes

Calling all fans of brinner (breakfast for dinner)! This sweet and savory recipe is filling enough for any meal of the day.

Sweet potatoes and yams are often used interchangeably, but they belong to different plant families. Yams are moister and have more variety in shape and color than sweet potatoes.

Sweet potatoes are a rich source of the antioxidant beta carotene, which can help slow the aging process and support strong immunity. Because of their high concentration of nutrients, sweet potatoes are a potent anti-inflammatory food and can help ward off muscle tissue damage related to overtraining or intense sessions at the gym. Try these pancakes for breakfast or any time of day.

Buttermilk Sweet Potato & Sausage Pancakes Recipe

Makes: 4 servings

Serving size: 3 pancakes, ¼ cup apple slices and 1 tablespoon syrup

Total time: 30 minutes (plus potato roasting time)

Ingredients

• 2 links sweet apple chicken sausage, such as All Natural Al Fresco brand, diced
• 1 cup cooked and mashed sweet potato*
• 1¾ cups buttermilk
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
• 1½ cups all-purpose or white whole-wheat flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
•  ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• ½ small red apple, cored and thinly sliced
• 4 tablespoons maple syrup

Directions

1. In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook diced chicken sausage until browned, about five minutes. Remove from heat, transfer sausage to a bowl, wipe out skillet with paper towels and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together sweet potato, buttermilk, egg, vanilla and oil. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Stir dry ingredients into sweet potato mixture until combined. Whisk in ¼ cup water to thin the batter.
3. Place same skillet over medium-low heat or heat an electric griddle to medium-low. Working in batches, cook ¼-cup portions of batter, gently smoothing with the back of a spoon into even rounds. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of the cooked sausage over each round. Continue cooking until bubbles appear on the surface and the edges are dry; carefully flip over pancakes and cook an additional two minutes or until browned. Repeat with remaining batter and sausage to make 12 pancakes total.
4. To serve, stack three pancakes on each of four plates. Top each serving with thin slices of apple, remaining cooked sausage and 1 tablespoon maple syrup. Serve warm.

Nutrition facts (per serving): calories 426, total fat 9 g, saturated fat 2 g, trans fat 0 g, sodium 750 mg, carbs 70 g, fiber 3 g, sugar 19 g, protein 15 g

*Bake 1 large sweet potato directly on rack of a 450-degree oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until tender. Peel and purée. Or substitute with 1 cup canned sweet potato purée.