Confetti Veggie Pancakes

Makes 10 pancakes
Recipe by Tracey Seaman from Family Matters and Everyday with Rachael Ray
Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Confetti Veggie Pancakes are perfect for the lunchbox! They’re a great way to get your kids to eat those vegetables. My husband cut his up and put it in a wrap. (He can’t help himself. He just loves wraps.) I ate mine plain with some tomatoes on the side, grapes and some wheat crackers for a very satisfying lunch which was packed in my new Easy Lunch Box. I think you could certainly spice these up a bit by adding some red pepper flakes or other favorite spices or herbs. You could also use other cheeses such as goat cheese or parmesan or even blue cheese instead of cheddar for the topping. If you have a food processor, the shredding of the vegetables will go quickly. You’ll need to use some muscle to squeeze the liquid from the veggies, but it’s an important step. You won’t want the pancakes to be watery. I keep an old linen tea towel just for messy jobs like this. Next time I make these, I think I’ll make a double batch. They go quickly! All of the ingredients can be found at Lost River Market & Deli.

1 large baking potato, peeled and shredded
2 carrots, peeled and shredded
1 zucchini, shredded
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 large egg plus 1 large egg white
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup shredded sharp white cheddar cheese

Directions:In a large bowl, cover the shredded potato with cold water and stir to rinse; drain and transfer to a towel-covered work surface. Cover with another towel and roll up to remove excess moisture; rinse and dry the bowl. Squeeze the carrots and zucchini in another towel to remove excess moisture. In the bowl, combine the potato, carrots, zucchini, onion, egg and egg white, flour, cornstarch, baking soda, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
Heat a large skillet for 1 minute over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and swirl to coat. Working in batches, and using the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil when necessary, spoon 1/4 cupfuls of the veggie mixture into the pan and flatten into 3-inch pancakes. Fry until golden brown underneath, about 3 to 4 minutes. Flip, sprinkle a bit of cheese on top of each and cook for about 3 minutes more; transfer to a plate.

What a great lunch this is!  Grapes, local tomato,
Confetti Veggie Pancakes, and Chocolate Almond Smoothie.