When I was six I decided that when I grew up I wanted to be a ballerina. And then around ten a marine biologist, followed by a chef, then an author, and the list goes on and on. At eighteen I landed at Bowling Green State University and had decided on an event planner, and when that didn’t work out I decided that all I wanted to be at that moment was happy. Everything else could wait. I was eighteen years young, had the world at my fingertips and every inch of me was dying to get out of dreary Ohio. A bad breakup, a confused future, a sense of misplacement. I needed to get out, fast. A fabulous opportunity presented itself and I jumped on it and didn’t look back. (Okay, I would be lying if I didn’t mention the sobbing that took place in the airport bathroom after hugging my family goodbye). Some people need the comforts of familiar. Not me- I thrive on change, and change is what I found.
Fifteen hours later I had landed in Hawaii and it took about fifteen seconds to decide I was exactly where I needed to be. Happy.
The job that I took was a live-in nanny position where I got to spend my days toting two sweet little girls around the island and it rarely felt like a job at all. Most of our days began with sunshine, were spent exploring and ended with anticipation to do it all again the following day. What was suppose to be a summer job turned into a permanent job because I couldn’t leave any of it behind after only four short months. Who could? For the next year and a half I soaked up every ounce of Hawaii and grew deeper in love with that little island I had the pleasure of calling home for a short time.
As with any memory- there are certain things that just take you back. Among those things for me… pancakes.
Light and tropical- my perfect pancake. So in love with these!
Pancake Battered Pineapple Rings by Running To The Kitchen
Serves: 3-4
- 1 pineapple, sliced into rings about ½ inch thick
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- ¼ cup whole wheat pastry flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- pinch of salt
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
- 1 cup coconut milk (from a carton, not canned)
- Heat pancake griddle or skillet on medium high heat.
- Combine all ingredients (except pineapple) in a medium bowl and whisk together. Add milk as needed to get a good “drippy” consistency. You want it to be able to stick to the pineapple but still allow the excess to drip off.
- Once griddle is heated, grease with butter or spray and dip one slice of pineapple into the batter and then place on griddle.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes and then flip. You might want to sear the sides too depending on how thick your slices are.
- Repeat for remaining slices.
- Serve immediately, top with maple syrup.
This recipe comes at a special time for us. For the first time since leaving a few years ago- Josh, Adelynn and I are boarding an airplane bound for Hawaii tomorrow morning! We are so excited for some fun in the sun with family we do not see often enough!
Beyond happy,
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