A recipe from Gwyneth

I signed up for these fun e-mails from Gwyneth Paltrow after reading about them on photographer Melanie Mauer's blog. The first e-mail I received included three great (and healthy!) recipes: buckwheat and banana pancakes, Asian tuna sandwiches with soy and sesame mayonnaise, and caramelized black pepper chicken.

I tested the buckwheat pancake recipe today, though I swapped the bananas for apples in an effort to cook a little more seasonally. I peeled and sliced thin a Jonagold apple and sauteed it gently in butter, cinnamon and sugar. The best part was that I was able to find fresh, local black walnuts at the farmers' market, which really kicked up the flavor. (Who knew that walnuts grew on trees only 30 minutes from South Bend?) If you can find fresh walnuts at your local market, it makes a big difference in taste.

Is there anything better than homemade Sunday pancakes? These made me so happy today.

Buckwheat, Apple and Black Walnut Pancakes

adapted from Gwyneth Paltrow

1/14 cups skim milk (the original recipe recommends soy, but I didn't have any on hand)

1 T. lemon juice

1 T. vegetable oil

1 T. real maple syrup, plus more for serving

1/2 c. buckwheat flour
1 t. baking soda

1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 t. salt

1 apple, peeled and thinly sliced

1 T. each cinnamon and sugar

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

1. Mix cinnamon and sugar in small bowl. Melt 1/2 T. butter in small frying pan. Add cinnamon and sugar. Saute apples gently on low heat until soft.

2. Mix wet ingredients in small bowl; mix dry ingredients in large bowl. Mix gently just until combined.

3. Heat nonstick skillet or griddle to medium high. Ladle pancake batter on griddle and sprinkle with apple slices and walnuts. Cook until the surface is covered with small bubbles. Flip and cook other side until golden.

4. Keep finished pancakes on platter in 200 degree oven.

5. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with warm maple syrup.