09/14/2011 
Pancakes shown may not be actual Sweet Potato Pancakes.
So to answer the throngs who begged to know my fueling secret for such a strenuous race as the Warrior Dash, here’s what I had for breakfast that morning that propelled me to victory, thanks to Health-Bent.
Okay, so there are no throngs. And no victory, other than a smug personal satisfaction. But here’s a knock-your-knee-high-CrossFit-socks off breakfast for those days you might need some extra oomph. It was perfect pre-race served with some bacon, and the leftovers helped me restock my reserves after.
As we slide into fall here, the flavors of pecan, maple, nutmeg, and cinnamon really hit the spot. It would be super simple to switch out the sweet potato with pumpkin if you are so inclined.
Sorry for the lack of photos, but c’mon! It was really early for me. Trust me, they come out beautifully if you pay attention to them. Keep ’em to about 4 inches in diameter and flip ’em when they begin to bubble in the center.
Sweet Potato Pancakes w/ Maple-Pecan Butter
Maple-Pecan Butter
3 Tbsp. pastured butter, softened or coconut butter
3 Tbsp. toasted pecans, chopped (to toast—350°F oven for 5 minutes)
2 Tbsp. maple syrup
1 tsp. cinnamon
Pancakes
1 ½ c. sweet potato, diced (about 1 large, you can peel it if you like, but it’s not necessary)
3 eggs
½ c. almond butter (I used a fresh ground one from the store)
½ c. unsweetened coconut milk
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. nutmeg
½ tsp. salt
coconut oil or fat of choice, for cooking
1) Make Maple-Pecan Butter: Combine all ingredients thoroughly. Set aside.
2) Make Pancake Batter: Steam or boil sweet potato until soft. Throw it in a blender along with the rest of the ingredients (through salt) and purée it until the mixture is smooth. The batter will be runny, unlike regular pancakes, and that’s okay.
3) Preheat griddle or large skillet over medium-ish heat. “Medium-ish” is somewhere between medium-high and medium. Not too low and not too hot. Melt coconut oil in pan and pour batter in to make 4-inch pancakes. Flip when bubbles begin to appear in the center of the pancakes. If ever the oil starts to smoke, turn the heat down a smidge. Repeat process until batter is gone, adding more coconut oil to pan as needed. Serve pancakes with the Maple-Pecan Butter.
Serves 4.
The Paleo Periodical 
Hi. Your friend Juliann Couture passed this recipe on to me, but I am afraid I screwed it up somehow–they never became pancakes–just mush in the pan. I subbed peanut butter for almond butter (my husband is allergic to almonds and these were for him). Do you think that could’ve done it? I used organic smooth pnut butter (MaraNatha). And I added 1 tsp maple syrup to the batter. Maybe that was it? Thoughts? Thanks for your feedback. Next time I have a baked sweet potato I will try again with the almond butter b/c I love the idea of these. Best, Heather
Oh no! Fascinating though…I have no idea if peanut butter was the culprit (I don’t eat peanuts anymore), but it’s possible. Hmm…you could try another type of butter maybe? Pecan, cashew, walnut? Even as written, the batter will be runnier than a traditional pancake batter, and the smaller you make them, the more likely they’ll turn out. Bummed they didn’t work for you, but keep me updated if you try them again.
These are amazing! So glad I found this! My kids loved them!