Pumpkin Pancakes with Toasted Pecans

Here in the mountains, we are waking up to frost and low morning shadows creeping across the valley. These kinds of early November days get me excited about the upcoming holidays and all the wonderful foods that appear for just a few short weeks.

Pumpkin pie is a truly big deal in my family but this nutritious vegetable doesn't need to be completely relegated to resting in a flaky crust. It's versitile and can lend a Thanksgiving vibe to lots of other foods.

And these chilly mornings before Thanksgiving are the perfect time for piping hot pumpkin pancakes. I had fun creating this recipe with Silk soymilk's newest flavor: Pumpkin Spice. But it will work equally well with vanilla soymilk if you can't find this specialty drink -- or if you just want to make it after the holidays are over!

And don't throw away the remaining pumpkin in that can -- we'll use it later this week, so stay tuned!

2 tablespoons chopped pecans
¾ cup unbleached flour
¼ cup cornmeal
½ tablespoon ground flax seed
2 teaspoons non-aluminum baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
pinch of clove
1 cup Silk Pumpkin Spice soymilk
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

Place pecans in a small dry skillet. Toast over medium heat until just fragrant -- about 3-4 minutes. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients.

Add soymilk, pumpkin and maple syrup. Mix until just combined.

Lightly spray a large skillet with cooking oil and warm over medium-high heat.

Measure about 1/3 cup of batter onto the hot skillet. Flip pancake when bubbles appear and burst on the upper surface, about 2 minutes. Cook for another 2 minutes or until set.

Serve immediately with warm maple syrup.