Greek Yogurt Pancakes with Strawberry Maple Syrup

Stella and I had pancakes for lunch on Friday.  She seemed very surprised that we were going to have breakfast for lunch.  Having pancakes for lunch doesn't happen very often (pretty much never), but it does happen when you wanted pancakes for breakfast that morning, but didn't have them and now you can't get them off your mind.  It also happens when you have Greek yogurt in the fridge that needs to be used and a pancake recipe that you've wanted to try that calls for it.  These two things are both very good reasons why someone should have pancakes and strawberry maple syrup in the middle of the day and so we did.  (I've never seen Stella eat her lunch as quick and without persuasion as she did that afternoon.)

Greek Yogurt Pancakes with Strawberry Maple Syrup

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup Greek yogurt (I used Greek Gods Plain Yogurt)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/4 cup whole milk
1 cup strawberries, diced
1 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Sliced strawberries  

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.  In a separate bowl, combine Greek yogurt, eggs, vanilla, and milk and mix until smooth and well combined.  Add Greek yogurt mixture to flour mixture and stir until just combined.

Lightly coat a large nonstick skillet or griddle with butter and heat over medium heat.  Drop about 1/4 cup batter onto the skillet.  Cook until surface of pancakes have some bubble and edges appear set, about 2 minutes.  Flip pancakes carefully with a spatula and cook until browned on the underside.  Repeat with remaining batter.

To make the syrup, combine maple syrup and strawberries in a saucepan and cook over medium heat.  Let the mixture begin to simmer and boil, stirring occasionally.  Once the maple/strawberry mixture begins to breakdown, about 5-10 minutes, remove from heat and stir in vanilla.  Pour syrup through a fine mesh strainer, pressing on strawberries to squeeze all of the juice from them.  Pour warm syrup over pancakes and sliced strawberries and serve.  Yum!

Recipe adapted from Ambitious Kitchen