By adding fresh orange zest to your maple syrup you not only make your morning pancakes or waffles taste absolutely scrumptious, you also add protein, potassium, riboflavin, and beta-carotene to your diet. Beta-carotene helps protect your body from free radicals that damage your cells and may lead to cancer. Beta-carotene converts to vitamin A in your body and vitamin A can boost your immune system and improve your vision health.
The orange peel also contains Hesperidin and pectin which helps control blood sugar and is an appetite suppressant which can be helpful with a plateful of yummy pancakes in front of you. “Hesperidin helps to lower LDL cholesterol (the bad stuff), lower triglycerides (fats found in the blood) and reduces the risk of heart disease. An added benefit is in normalizing blood pressure. Studies also show that hesperidin is helpful in reducing bone loss, acts as an anti-inflammatory and is good for fighting some types of cancer, especially breast cancer.” Health Essential Products
One study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry said the compounds in orange peel may help lower your cholesterol better than Statin drugs so do not throw away the peel when you enjoy an orange. Save it for a tea or candied orange peel or this maple syrup!
This is a simple and delicious syrup you can make while the pancakes are cooking on the griddle. In fact, you can use the same griddle to heat the syrup and infuse the flavor of the sweet orange peel. Heating the orange peel may improve your digestion, heartburn, and treat insomnia. You may need some help with heartburn after eating all these pancakes.
Directions
1) Remove the orange peel of an organic orange. Try to avoid the white part which is bitter. Add the peel to a sauce pan or pyrex glass and pour about 1 or 2 cups of syrup over the peel depending how many pancakes you are serving.
2) Heat the orange zest and maple syrup over medium to low heat until fragrant. Serve warm. Enjoy!
My kids enjoyed every last drop of this orange zest syrup.
I created this orange zest syrup after making Gingerbread Pancakes from my father’s cookbook. I did not have the orange marmalade for the orange marmalade syrup so I used an orange peel instead. I think it worked out much better with all the health benefits and the flavor is truly delicious.
Ultimate Cookbook
Gingerbread Pancakes
Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1 tablespoon molasses
Orange Marmalade Syrup
Combine first 9 ingredients in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture. Combine egg and remaining 3 ingredients; add to dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened. Spoon about 2 tablespoons batter for each pancake onto a hot, lightly greased griddle. Cook until tops are covered with bubbles and edges look cooked; turn and cook other side. Serve pancakes with warm Orange Marmalade Syrup. Yield: 10 pancakes.
Joel Allard
San Antonio, Texas
Orange Marmalade Syrup
2/3 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup orange marmalade
Combine ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Yield: 1 cup
References:
https://www.livestrong.com/article/482147-health-benefits-of-orange-peels/
https://healthessentialproducts.com/html/health_benefits_of_orange_zest.html
https://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=37
