I finished Winter of the World, which will from now on be referred to simply as WOW. It was so, so good, and I’m getting ready to start the third book in the trilogy! It starts in 1961, where the second book left off.
But let’s go back to last week- I had my trip to the used bookstore. It was everything I hoped it would be (look away, Engie! I’ve discovered that Engie does NOT like used bookstores!)
As I hoped, I did leave with a stack of books.
Some classic murder mysteries- I can never resist- and more Ken Follett. I have no plans to read The Pillars of the Earth anytime soon, but I know I’ll read it eventually, and I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to get a used copy in good condition.
Eating! Once again, I did not do any meal prep on Sunday so we’re limping through the week. The good news is, I think I’m training my husband and daughter to expect less and less in the dinner department. I mean- we do eat. It’s just not fancy.
Sunday morning I made gluten-free pumpkin pancakes from Running on Real Food. First, let’s look at a picture from the website:
And here’s, ahem, mine.
All that garnish aside, mine look really weird. But they did taste good! Chickpea flour is my new favorite flour. By the way, if you’re making pumpkin baked good this fall, don’t forget the formula to make them really flavorful- double the amount of pumpkin spice, and add a pinch of cloves. And whatever you do, do NOT forget the salt!
What are you reading now?
Top photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash
28 Responses
I’m intrigued using chickpea flour for pancakes, gotta try this. I made the crepe with chickpea flour and they were fluffy and not dense enough.
I love pumpkin everything, good tip to double on the spices.
Chickpea flour works well! I think it makes the pancakes a little more dense, but they still have a good texture. And it’s way more nutritious than regular white flour.
It’s great when all the books in a sequence are equally good and that bookshop looks wonderful!
Yes, when I finished the first book I thought the second book couldn’t be as good- but it was as good or better. I’m so excited to read the third.
That used book store looks very cool! And it looks like they have too many books for the shelves, too. Which means that having a used book store in the area makes sense!
Yes, they have an overload of books! I asked if they buy used books as well, and they said yes, usually, but not right now because they have too many.
Can I just say that eating pumpkin pancakes off a pumpkin plate is next level! I love all things pumpkin, but it’s not as much of a craze here in Canada so it’s hard to “get my fix” – I don’t even know if I can buy pumpkin spice (though I’m sure I could easily find the ratio of spices online).
Now I’m hungry and craving a giant piece of pumpkin pie or – better yet – pumpkin cheesecake. I had a pumpkin cheesecake once and it blew. my. mind.
You could definitely make your own pumpkin spice, and it would be just as good or better than a store-bought spice blend!
Oh, used bookstores are so fun and I haven’t been to one for a while. I need to figure out where the nearest one is. I love how you can get a whole stack for like $10.
Yes, this one was really fun. I spent a LONG time there!
I’ve never used chickpea flour to make sweet pancakes but I did try it a few times in savory socca flatbread and it worked well! Good tip on the extra spices.
And don’t feel bad about how your pancakes look — any baked good I ever make never turns out as pretty as the photo from the recipe but as long as it tastes good, that’s what matters!
I agree- taste is what matters! I would just like to know WHY mine never look like the photos on the website, hmmm.
Nice haul!
I am still in a full out binge of the Linda Castillo Amish murder mysteries. I’m going to keep going with it until my Libby holds for other books come in. I think I’ve got something like 4 books to go, and she’s still writing them.
I just opened a new can of pumpkin for the dog, and my goal is to use half of it for her and half for some pumpkin pasta for me – I just need to set aside the time to make the sauce.
Maybe I’m due for another Linda Castillo book. I loved the first one (except for the nightmares, ahem) and am excited that I have a whole series ahead of me.
Pillars of the Earth is SO GOOD. Very different from The Century books, though, so be aware.
Look at those books ON THE FLOOR at the bookstore. *shakes head sadly* Poor book babies.
Ha ha, Engie, I told you to look away!!! And, I read a review of Pillars where they said they originally thought they didn’t want to read it because of the time period and subject matter (building a cathedral?) which is the same way I felt- but the review went on to say that it’s amazing. I’ve learned to trust Ken Follett, so I’ll definitely read it and I’m sure I’ll love it.
YES! If someone had said to me “do you want to read a really long book about building a church?” I would have politely declined. But it was SO GOOD. I would have regretted not reading it.
Oh, Ngaio Marsh and Dorothy L. Sayers and Pillars of the Earth and Agatha Christie? Girl, you’re on an anglophile binge!
Pillars of the Earth was so, so SO good.
Engie doesn’t like used book stores? I’m surprised! All our indie bookstores have a used book section too.
Chickpea flour is a favorite (and longtime Indian staple). I just realized this weekend how easily it cooks in the microwave, when I used it to bind some coconut sweets (coconut flakes, honey, chickpea flour, ghee–two rotations of two minutes each and then roll into balls).
Yes, isn’t pudla Indian? i used to make pudla- which , correct me if I’m wrong, but I think it’s like a savory pancake made with chickpea flour- and I should get back to that.
Everyone seems to LOVE Pillars of the Earth, so I’m sure I will too.
Haha–I had to look up “pudla” I don’t know the name, but I do know the food itself! I think we call it “chilla” (A rose by any other name… etc.)
I just finished a book about giraffes that was awesome. Now I’m reading a murder mystery that takes in Paris during the world’s far.
You got a great haul from the used book store so yay! I loved the Century trilogy. I learned so much by reading those books. I think I own Pillars of the Earth on my kindle so I should read that at some point! I have heard great things about it.
It’s always funny how things we make compare to the photos from the recipe… mine rarely looks as good! But I am glad they tasted good! I haven’t used chickpea flour before. I have used other flours when making my blend, but most of the blend I make is based on rice flour with some potato starch and tapioca starch added in plus a few other things that I am blanking on. I use an America’s Test Kitchen recipe to make my flour blend.
Ha love the photo vs reality pancakes. I wonder why they turned that color? I always use lots more cinnamon and spice than called for and usually vanilla as well. It’s a work in progress! I used to read Ken Follett books I should check them out again.
I have never used chickpea flour, but I kind of want to try it? The Mr. and Lil Mama love pumpkin pie, so I wonder if they’d like pumpkin pancakes? I am more of an apple pie spice person, haha! Right now, I am reading Emily Henry’s People We Met on Vacation and just finished Ann Cleeve’s Hidden Depths (one of the Vera Stanhope mysteries).
I love used bookstores. What is not to like about recycling books? Confusing. Engie, defend yourself!
I hated Pillars of the Earth. OK, HATE is too strong. It was BORING to me. I will not be reading any more Follett.
My food pics look more like yours than the pros. Sigh.
Sigh, yes, why do the recipe photos never really look like mine? I have never made pumpkin pancakes (I actually am not really a big pumpkin fan! I mean, I like decorating them and seeing them and all of that, but I don’t really love the pumpkin flavor). But I made these “banana pancakes” once that were supposed to be like 3 ingredients- I think it was mashed panana, vanilla and egg or something? Anyway they were supposed to be like a knock off pancake but “healthy” without other ingredients and they ended up looking SO weird. Ha.
I like a used bookstore! I think it’s kind of fun to think of where all the books have been, and I like the idea of them getting passed around and well loved.
Oh, I loved used bookstores! They are my favorite – especially because you can get such a big stack of books for so cheap! This makes me want to visit my fave used bookstore in town… maybe something fun to do next weekend! Those books you got looked so beautiful, too! I spy an Agatha Christie mystery. 🙂
I just finished a book that put me in a book hangover and I keep sampling books and not loving them, so I’m in a slump boo.
Chickpea flour! I am so intrigued. We just tried chickpea pasta and were so positively surprised 🙂