Chicken in Black Bean Sauce

Introduction

This dish gets nearly all its flavor from the sauce. When cooking bland ingredients such as boneless and skinless white meat chicken as we do here, I prefer to use a pungent sauce such as black bean sauce. Same goes for tofu.

The organic chicken tenders are simply cuts of chicken breast, which I used to concoct this recipe. Feel free to use any finger-sized pieces of chicken.

Salt is not required for this dish. The black bean sauce provides enough.

The poblano provides a bit of spicy "zing." If you use an ordinary green pepper, add a pinch of cayenne pepper. Feel free to add more spice.

Broccoli is a great addition to this dish. The florets soak up the liquid and act like "flavor sponges." If using broccoli, add it with the onions and peppers. Feel free to add liquid if the pan seems dry. Bok choy is another addition to consider, but it cooks quickly so add it with the mushrooms.

Turmeric contains curcumin, a powerful anti-inflammatory compound. It also will stain your cutting board, knife, fingers, etc. I use Isopropyl alcohol (IPA) to clean my knife.

Black pepper enhances the absorption of curcumin. Pre-ground black pepper can harbor mold; using fresh cracked pepper avoids this toxin.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup EVOO Light
• 1.6 lb organic chicken tenders
• 1 onion
• 1 turmeric piece, finger-sized
• 1 poblano (or green bell pepper and pinch of cayenne pepper)
• 1 red bell pepper
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1 cup mushrooms (such as Woodstock frozen)
• 1/4 tsp ground black peppercorns
• 1 Tbsp black bean sauce

Steps

• Pre-heat large cast iron skillet to medium high
• Peel onion, turmeric, garlic
• Dice onion, red pepper (and poblano) to 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch in size
• Finely chop turmeric and garlic
• Set garlic aside
• Coat skillet with EVOO then add the diced / chopped ingredients, except for the garlic
• Saute for about five minutes or until onions start to be translucent
• Push vegetables to edge of pan
• Add more oil and then add chicken to the center of the pan; separate into "fingers"
• Brown chicken on both sides for about two minutes each side
• Add garlic on top of chicken
• Reduce heat, cover and let simmer for about ten minutes
• Add mushrooms
• Mix pan ingredients gently, ensuring any raw portion of chicken gets contact with the pan
• Add black pepper and black bean sauce
• Mix pan ingredients again, cutting "fingers" into bite-size pieces, checking for doneness
• Turn off stove, allow juices to soak into chicken as it cools

Chile con Carne

Introduction

This chili recipe is meant to make a hearty (heavy) dish. Hence we do not drain the fat. And like most chilies, stews and soups, it tastes better the next day -- the zing from the tomato mellows.

Turmeric contains curcumin, a powerful anti-inflammatory,¹ so I use it in every savory recipe that involves frying. Turmeric also will stain your cutting board, knife, fingers, etc. I use Isopropyl alcohol (IPA) to clean my knife.

Black pepper enhances the absorption of curcumin.² But pre-ground black pepper can harbor mold; use fresh cracked pepper to avoid this toxin. Likewise, I use fresh chili powders, or I omit chili powder altogether and rely on the chiles themselves for flavor.

I prefer low salt (or no salt ingredients). But if you don't have no salt diced tomatoes, just use what you have and cut back on the added salt.

Ingredients

• 1 onion, yellow or sweet
• 1 Pinky-size piece of turmeric root (optional)
• 1 red pepper
• 1 Poblano chile or 1 can green chiles
• 4 - 5 cloves garlic
• 1 lb. ground beef, 80% or 85% lean
• 1 can (14 to 16 oz.) diced tomatoes (no salt, if possible)
• 1 can (14 to 16 oz.) beans (black or pinto) and liquid
• 2 to 4 oz. EVOO (for frying in large pan)
• 1 tsp or more of chili powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black peppercorns

Steps

• pre-heat large cast iron skillet to medium high
• Peel onion, turmeric, garlic
• Dice onion, red pepper (and pablano) to 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch in size
• Finely chop turmeric and garlic
• Set garlic aside
• Coat skillet with EVOO then add the diced / chopped ingredients, except for the garlic
• Saute for about five minutes or until onions start to be translucent
• Push vegetables to edge of pan
• Add meat to the center of the pan and break into marble-sized clumps
• Brown the meat, then incorporate garlic for about a minute
• Add diced tomatoes and beans
• Saute in order to thicken sauce, about 10 minutes
• Add salt, black pepper, chili powder. Adjust to taste
• Serve hot, topped with cheddar cheese, sour cream, avocado, etc

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¹ https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/expert-qa/turmeric-benefits
² https://www.globalsavors.com/blog/spices/black-pepper/how-much-black-pepper-to-take-with-curcumin

2026-06-24 Updated to add "Set garlic aside"

Zoodles Parmigiana

Most of my easy meals can be made in a single pan on the stove top. This Zoodles Parmigiana is one example.

So what exactly are Zoodles? Zoodles are a pile of zucchini strands, where each strand resembles a piece of spaghetti. Imagine what you’d end up with if you could push a zucchini through a pasta maker.

While you can buy pre-made Zoodles, I strongly recommend not doing so because they’ll rot quickly. Instead make them with a spiralizer¹ as shown in the first three images below. An organic zucchini can last a couple of weeks in the vegetable bin of your refrigerator; spiralizing takes only about a minute.

Once you have a pile of Zoodles, cut them up a bit because they can be ridiculously long. Then drop them into an oiled pan at medium-low heat and move them around for a minute or two as shown in the fourth image. Just take out the chill. Then add your favorite tomato sauce² and slices of mozzarella cheese (images 5 & 6). Cover the pan and turn off the heat. Allow the sauce to warm and the cheese to get gooey. Distract yourself by cleaning up the counter, stowing the tomato sauce and cheese back into the refrigerator, loading the cooking utensils into the dishwasher, and setting the table. By the time all that’s done, you can start enjoying your meal.

This is the bare minimum version. But what I like to do is first fry up some onions, red pepper and garlic to “stabilize the pan.” (Remember to add the garlic after sizzle mellows out so that it doesn’t turn bitter.) Then I add the Zoodles, sauce and cheese.

And really, all this is is an excuse to combine tomato sauce with mozzarella cheese, which is what makes pizza so great. And it’s combined with another favorite, spaghetti. This gives you near perfection.

You can make this with real spaghetti if you prefer. But then you’d have the extra step of bringing water to a boil and cooking it, which can add another 15 minutes to the prep time. And personally, I’d rather stay away from carbs, and incorporate more vegetable into my diet. Substituting Zoodles for spaghetti accomplishes both.

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¹ The spiralizer shown in the first two photos is “Veggetti Veggie Slicer” https://www.walmart.com/ip/Veggetti-Spiralizer-Spiral-Vegetable-Cutter-Vegetable-Noodle-Maker-as-Seen-On-TV-White-Plastic/43174708

² I like many bottled tomato sauces. I look for clean and premium ingredients, such as San Marzano tomatoes and olive oil. I avoid anything with sugar or vegetable oil, meat or cheese. Some brands I like are Silver Palate (especially the version with Basil), Mutti and even Newman’s Own. Bottles can be stockpiled for a couple of years. I buy it whenever it’s on sale.

Joyfully Almond Coffee Indulgence

My latest indulgence is Joyfully Almond Coffee.  This came about because I noticed that the bottle of almond extract expired quite a while ago.  Expiration dates don’t matter much to me. However, I live with someone who will look askance at a product with an expiration date of the current day.  Even if I explain that the extract contains alcohol, ¹ which acts as a preservative, it would be thrown out.

Anyway, here’s how I make the Joyfully Almond Coffee Indulgence.  I simply add a splash of the extract to a mug of coffee along with half-and-half (or cream) and three teaspoons (1 tablespoon) of sugar.  Before getting riled up about the carbs, consider that the sugar adds only 12 grams of carbohydrate, while the half-and-half adds only 1 gram (per two tablespoons). ²

Give it a try and let me know if you like it!

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¹ https://www.mccormick.com/products/mccormick-pure-almond-extract-2-fl-oz

² https://fullcirclemarketbrand.com/product/full-circle-market-organic-half-half-32-fl-oz/#sirv-viewer-185084835664

Loaded Baked Potato

One easy meal I’d like to introduce to you is the Loaded Baked Potato.  It’s based on the Russet Potato.

The advantage to potatoes is that they can be stored for weeks in a cool, dry, dark location.  Even after they’re baked, they can be kept in the refrigerator for at least one week.

The disadvantage is that some prep work is required to benefit from them.  The prep involves 15 minutes of washing and 60 minutes baking time in a conventional oven^{1, 2}.

I set the oven to preheat at 425°F (215°C) and then I wash them.  I use water, dish soap and a nylon brush to scrub the potatoes clean.  That way I can eat the skins knowing I did all I could to eliminate the crud.

After cleaning I pat them slightly dry, and then I use a sharp knife to make a single, lengthwise cut in the middle.  The cut needn’t be deep.  You could even call it a score mark.

Once the oven has fully preheated, I place the potatoes, unwrapped, directly on the rack.  They won’t ooze like sweet potatoes; they’ll stay dry and the skins will be crispy.  I’ll let them bake un-monitored for about 30 minutes before I put eyes on them again.  In that amount of time I can do some other food prep work, such as mince add-ons for a frozen pizza.

At the 30 minute mark, I’ll rotate just to ensure they bake evenly.  There’s no such thing as a perfectly uniform temperature distribution in an oven.  By rotating them, I trick myself into believing they’ll be cooked more uniformly than if I left them along.

If you choose not to rotate them, it’s a good idea to at least take a good look at them to ensure that the skin isn’t darkening.  That would mean the skin is starting to burn.

The potatoes are done if you can stick a sharp knife into them with only a little effort.

But the baking is only the beginning.  The real artistry is adding the toppings.

I’ll add toppings only to the potato I plan to eat right away.  The others will be allowed to cool and get stored in the refrigerator.  My favorite toppings are:

• butter
• cheese (cheddar mostly)
• sour cream
• salsa
• avocado

I start by folding the two halves open along the score line like a book.  Then I make deep cuts in the flesh lengthwise, crosswise, and diagonally and place two pats of butter on each half. (PIC 1)  If the potato is fresh out of the oven, the butter will melt and sink into the score lines.  But if it’s been stored in the fridge, I’ll heat mine in the microwave oven on medium for about 3:30 minutes.

Then I put slices of cheese on each half.  I use cheddar usually.  But I’ve just taken a liking to asiago cheese, which would work for me, too.  Then it goes back into the oven.  If using a microwave, go for another 2:30 on medium; if fresh out of oven, put it back in, letting the residual heat melt the cheese.  Of course you’ll need to make sure it’s on a sturdy oven-safe dish. (PIC 2)

After the cheese has melted, I like to sprinkle on some Adobo seasoning and perhaps Ancho Chili powder.  Then I add two hearty dollops of sour cream on each half (PIC 3), followed by salsa and then avocado. (PIC 4 & 5)

Cheddar cheese and sour cream have expiration dates, and they’ll spoil within a couple of weeks after opening even if stored in the fridge.  And avocados are notorious for transforming from rock hard bitter lumps to soft squishy off-tasting alien slime almost overnight in warm weather.  So omit that or try pre-made guacamole instead, which will turn brown on the surface even if refrigerated.

I show the progression of my latest topping effort.  Note that I goofed on the order of it.  I like to put the salsa directly on the sour cream.  This accentuates the juxtaposition of the heat from the salsa against the cooling sensation of the sour cream.  The photo progression shows avocado between the sour cream and salsa.  As well, note I use only half an avocado for the two halves of the potato as shown in the fourth frame.

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¹ I bake four potatoes at a time.  The nearly four minutes I allot to wash each potato is very generous, but it also includes other set-up activity.

² A single potato can be cooked in a microwave oven.  This cuts down significantly on time and energy.  But I usually I have the oven on to cook other foods.

New Feature – Easy Meal Recipes

My ideal meal is one that

• tastes great
• provides abundant nutrients
• can be prepared in no time
• requires no fancy equipment
• costs nothing

As well, the meal’s ingredients would last for decades without spoiling.  Alas, no such meal exists.  But lately I’ve been focused on reducing the prep time of my delicious, low-cost, easy-to-make, nutritious meals, and I’d like to share with you.

Notice that I didn’t claim that my meals would be “healthy.”  I’m not a researcher in this area, and ideas about what’s healthy and what’s not healthy vary over time or by consumer.

For example, there was a time when all fats were bad, or all saturated fats were bad, so folks thought margarine was healthier than butter.  But now we’re advised to avoid trans-fats and consume good fats. Grains form the base of that dreaded food pyramid; I gain weight from them (and rice constipates me), so I avoid them.

Expect to see recipes or advice on how to overcome obstacles to home cooking.  The idea is to adapt them to your liking, adding and omitting to suit your lifestyle.

As well, if you have a favorite recipe, please share it.

Thanksgiving 2025

I shared my recipe for turkey thighs back in 2023. ¹   I made that again today, but this time I took photos as I layered the ingredients.

I loaded the vegetables into the oiled pan in this order:

Brussels sprouts, sliced four times
Garlic, sliced four times
Turmeric root, sliced very thinly
(PIC1)

Parsnips, Cut into less than 0.5" (1cm) cubes
Carrots, Cut into less than 0.75" (1.5cm) cubes
Dashes of dried herbs: Thyme, Italian mix
(PIC2)

Red Beets, half rounds, sliced 0.25" (0.5cm) thick
Golden Beets, half rounds, a bit thinner than the red beets (They seemed a bit denser than their red counter parts.)
(PIC3)

Onion sectioned longitudinally
Half a Small Butternut squash, peeled, cut lengthwise into 8 pieces
Sprigs of fresh herbs (Thyme, Rosemary, Lavender)
(PIC4)

Last, but certainly not least, the two turkey thighs, patted dry with the skin sides rolled in a plate of salt and fresh-cracked pepper, skin side up.
(PIC5)

Set into an oven that's been pre-heated to 375°F (190°C).  Your kitchen will start to smell wonderful in just five minutes.

Meanwhile, take the vegetable trimmings out to the compost, or take out the garbage and perhaps stroll through the woods looking for mushrooms.  When you get indoors after about 15 minutes, you'll really enjoy the aroma.

After about 55 minutes, test each thigh with a meat thermometer.  The overall cooking time should be 60 to 65 minutes, so when you first test it, it might be at 145°F (63°C).  If so, leave it in for about ten more minutes.  Remove from the oven when the temperature reaches 165°F (74°C), and tent it with aluminum foil (shiny side down) for about twenty minutes.

Last night I mashed two small rutabagas (after peeling, cutting into cubes and boiling in salt water).  So while I let the turkey rest, I cleaned up a bit and then I reheated the mashed rutabagas.  I served all of this about 90 minutes after putting the turkey into the oven.

I hope you had a very happy and healthy Thanksgiving!

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¹ https://square--peg.blogspot.com/2023/11/thanksgiving-2023.html

Thanksgiving 2023

Today’s Thanksgiving went better than I expected. I’m glad I headed out to the grocery stores last night at 6pm. I hesitated to travel at first because I assumed that nearly everyone would be out getting food. But no, the roads and stores were not at all crowded; they were much worse at 3:30pm.

I did shop the prior weekend to stock up on vegetables. But I deferred buying the turkey thighs because I figured they’d not last until today.

The regular supermarket had no turkey thighs; the butcher said they didn't get many turkey parts this year.  Fortunately Whole Foods was well stocked with a variety of turkey parts in vacuum-sealed bags.  And when I got home, I went to work on peeling and cubing turnips, then cooking and mashing them.

My idea was to arrange a bunch of vegetables in a well-oiled cast iron pan and place the turkey thighs on top. And then I'd roast everything all at once. Indeed, there’s even a recipe online that describes it.¹

I included fresh beets (red and golden), parsnips, carrots, Brussel sprouts, garlic, pearl onions (which were a bitch to peel), fennel bulb, plum tomatoes and apples. I placed sprigs of fresh rosemary, sage and thyme on top.

To season the turkey, I poured Kosher salt into a dish and then added fresh cracked black pepper, which is the base seasoning recommended by another recipe.² I blotted each thigh dry with paper towels and then dredged it in the salt pepper mix. Then I placed them on top of the vegetables, skin side up.

I used a pre-heated oven temperature of 375 F and a time of 60 minutes, which worked perfectly. The thighs tested out at 171 F, but they weren’t yet shrunken down and dried out. I turned off the oven and used tongs to remove the turkey so they could rest in a plate at room temperature.  Meanwhile I stirred the vegetables and kept them in the oven – the parsnips seemed just a bit hard.

The aroma during roasting and the eventual taste were wonderful – the meal surpassed my wildest expectations! I hate Brussel sprouts but I included them because every meal should have something bitter to interrupt the tendency to be glutenous. But even they turned out scrumptious because, by design, they soaked up the fat from the turkey.

Aside from the store-bought pecan and pumpkin pies and the butter in the turnips, the meal was totally low carb and paleo.

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¹https://www.myforkinglife.com/baked-turkey-thighs-vegetables/

²https://dinnerthendessert.com/roasted-turkey-thighs

The Versatility of Salsa

Salsa isn’t just for dipping.

I make a Mexican version of Chicken Cacciatore using salsa in place of crushed tomatoes.  In my version, I may also use pablano chilies and/or jalapenos along with onions, garlic and the other vegetables.  But in a hurry, just browning the chicken on both sides and then dumping in about 4oz of salsa yields an acceptable dish.  I don’t bread the chicken the way some versions do.

Salsa makes a fine substitute for ketchup on a hamburger or sandwich, especially when combined with a rich mayonnaise such as Sir Kensington's.

When the bag of tortilla chips is nearly empty, I like to dump the small bits into a bowl, pour salsa on top, and eat the mixture with a spoon.  It reminds me of how I used to eat cereal with milk when I was a boy, but the taste is a whole lot better.

And would you believe that I like to drink salsa?  Yes, one day I was rinsing out a nearly empty salsa jar when, on impulse, I decided to drink the highly diluted contents.  It tasted quite good, but the chunkiness of it was off-putting.

Chocolate Fudge -- It's About Time I Made Some

I finally made chocolate fudge.  I used one of the “easy recipes” that you can find online – a combination of Sweetened Condensed Milk, Chocolate Chips and Vanilla all melted together, mixed and chilled.

Unfortunately, I have quite a lot more of it than I should have.  The stuff is dangerous.  I could easily eat all of it.  I’ve been known to eat a 14 ounce can of Sweetened Condensed Milk in a mindless trance of ecstasy.

So I’ll do what I always do with excess decadent treats – bring it to work in the hopes that folks will take it all before lunch time.

Make Your Own Sauerkraut

"Forget that store-bought stuff.  It's pasteurized," my Naturopathic Doctor said.  We were talking about sauerkraut.

I thought I was buying good stuff, with nothing more than cabbage and brine.  But she was right, it was pasteurized.  The bottling process sterilizes the jar and the product, killing off all that healthy bacteria.

So after years of putting it off, I took the plunge and made my first batch in September.  I was delighted with the results!  It was crunchy, snappy, tart, lively but not at all unpalatable.

Here's a beginner recipe to try:

1 small organic cabbage head

1 large carrot

dried dill weed

small palmful of sea salt (about 2 to 3 teaspoons)

Slice the cabbage thin.  Then chop the slices into small bits.

Wash the carrot with a nylon brush and grate it.  (I don't peel carrots.)

Combine the cabbage and carrot into a large mixing bowl.  Add the salt and dust with dill until it looks right.  Mix and pound with a blunt wooden spoon until a mash starts to form.

Place it into a 32oz straight neck jar, such as a clean, empty tomato sauce jar.

Pound it down, leaving about 1/2 inch room at the top.  Add water to completely cover the solids.  Cover the top with a coffee filter or strainer and leave it in a dark cool place for about two weeks.

After two weeks, remove the cover and skim any suspicious-looking stuff off the top.

At this point it's ready to eat.  Screw the cap on and refrigerate for longer term storage.

My special additions include seaweed (after soaking in water for while I prepare the cabbage and carrot) and the powder from a few probiotic capsules.

Check this web page for more ideas: http://www.wildfermentation.com/making-sauerkraut-2/

#NaBloPoMo2019

Easy-To-Make Gluten-Free Tortillas

The topic of home made Gluten-Free tortillas probably makes you wonder, “Corn Tortillas are gluten-free.  Why not just buy them?”

I did that for a while, but there are two problems with store-bought corn tortillas:

1. They have nasty-sounding ingredients in them (as do flour tortillas).
2. Corn causes pain in my joints.

So when I stumbled across the two-ingredient recipe at ElaVegan, I seriously considered trying it.  And when my local grocery store had the flour 25% off, I knew I was going to try it.

But I had my doubts.  “Oh, they’ll stick to the pan.”  Or, “they’ll fall apart when I turn them.”

But no, the recipe really is very easy.  If you can make pancakes, you definitely can make these.  It’s very forgiving in terms of how much water you use.  I started with the lower recommendation, which is for thick tortillas.  But as I continued, I kept adding water to see how thin I could make them.  The only limit I reached is when the batter got so runny, it ran to the side of the pan.  Yet, they still held together when I turned them.  I managed to get them a bit over 6" in diameter.  I used an 8" pan.

And despite using a “sticky” cast-iron pan, there was no sticking whatsoever when I applied a thin layer of vegetable oil to the pre-heated pan.

For the second batch, I happened to have a couple of old limes lying around.  They were so hard and shriveled, my wife gave up on them.  But I managed to get maybe 1/8 cup of juice out of them, which I added to the batter.  The juice gave a nice tartness to the tortilla.

Give it a try!

#NaBloPoMo2019

What's on Your Grill?

Hamburgers and hot dogs seem to be the usual barbecue fare.  Or folks might get adventurous and add some skewered vegetables alongside them.

Try something different this time.  Roast peppers!

At this time of year, a variety of peppers or chilies should be fairly inexpensive owing to their abundance.  In fact, the pile pictured on my charcoal grill below cost about three dollars.  In case you can't make them out, the pile consists of:

• One Poblano
• Two Jalapeño
• Two red Cubanelle
• Two orange Cubanelle

The process is very forgiving, and you can leave them on and forget about them a bit and still get a nice result.

I like to put them on while my coals are still on fire, and I add kindling to maintain the fire.  Once they're black and squishy, I drop them into a paper bag, seal the bag, and let them steam in there own heat.

Then I go get the Impossible Burgers and steaks and put them on.  When those are done, I peel the black skin off the peppers and squeeze out the seeds.

The grilling takes the spicy edge off the chilies and leaves them sweet and mellow.

Dirth of Low-Carb Frozen Dinners

Frustrated by the high carbohydrate content of the typical frozen dinner, I've decided to make my own meals from frozen vegetables, Steak-umms and butter, plus various spices.

Below is a low-quality photo-log of my first attempt, which I assembled to take to work and heat in the microwave oven.  The vegetables heated much more quickly than the meat; I ran it at high power for about seven minutes to get the meat to "medium".

The second time I put one together, I broke the frozen sheets of meat into quarters and arranged them around the perimeter and bunched the vegetables and butter into the center.  This arrangement took only five minutes to cook.

The frozen glass container gets quite wet from condensate, so I've learned to wrap it in a towel for transport.  The towel also serves as a "pot holder" -- the glass becomes too hot to carry after the food is heated.

The solution to the problem of raw meat is, of course, to cook the meat.  But then it's not something I can whip together in an emergency.

Folks might ask, "Haven't you seen the frozen dinners from Atkins?"  "Yes, dear, reader, I have," I might respond.  "But those products contain many nasty chemicals (neurotoxins) and lack enough fat to provide a satisfying meal."

One-of-a-Kind Gluten-Free Pancakes

The pancakes I made this morning could've been a disaster, but they turned out surprisingly good.  And I'm not really sure how I made them.

The classic pancake recipe¹ basically calls for 1 cup flour, 1 egg, ¾ cup milk, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or melted shortening, 2 teaspoons sugar, 3 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt.  That's from memory – it might not be exact.

But I had just bought Bob's Red Mill Teff flour² and I wanted to use it to make pancakes.  I read on the back of the package “Substitute up to ¼ cup teff flour per cup of wheat flour...” I took it to mean “Substitute ¼ cup teff flour for each cup of wheat flour...” and that's what I did.  But of course that's not what Bob meant.  I should've combined ¼ cup of teff with ¾ cup of wheat flour for my recipe.

Fortunately, I'm a veteran pancake maker, and I quickly realized my mistake.  I knew I needed more dry ingredients, so first I added some ground flax seed because I wanted to use it up.  Then I added more teff flour.  When I remembered that I had almond flour that was never opened, I added that.  But then it was too thick, so I thinned it out with tap water until finally I had batter that I could pour.

So here is my One-of-a-Kind Gluten-Free Pancake Recipe:

½ cup teff flour
½ cup almond flour
2 tbsp ground flax seed
¾ teas. Baking soda
1 ½ teas. Cream of Tartar
2 teas. Truvia (or other stevia substitute)
½ teaspoon salt
1 egg
¾ cup half & half
2-3 tbsp extra light olive oil

Several pats of unsalted butter for the pan.
2-3 tbsp extra light olive oil for the pan

Place a large cast iron skillet, dry, on medium heat.

Combine the wet ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and beat the egg into a uniform mixture.
Combine the flours, flax seed and salt and add to the bowl.

Mix together the baking soda and cream of  tartare (or use 3 teas. fresh baking powder³) and add to the bowl.  Blend the batter together until all lumps are gone.  Add water to thin out the batter, if desired.  Observe the wonderful bubbles.

Check the pan.  Drip some water droplets onto the surface.  If they sputter and dance around, add the oil and coat the surface.  Then add a pat of butter at each spot that you'll pour the batter on.

As soon as the butter has melted, pour the batter onto the pan and cook like normal pancakes.

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¹ Betty Crocker Cookbook
² http://www.bobsredmill.com/teff-flour.html
³ Basic Baking Powder substitution from Fitday