Recipe by Craig Cowling, chef/owner, O’Brothers

The whole concept for our restaurant started in my backyard. We had a party and I was grilling up these organic burgers and my brother Derek kept noticing people’s responses. People were, like, “This is the best burger I’ve ever had in my life.” Derek said, “We have got to do something with this,” so we decided to open up a restaurant. We actually had no experience in the restaurant industry, so it was a shot in the dark. But that’s how O’Brothers was born.

Everything we serve in our restaurant — from the oil we cook our french fries in to the burgers and the buns — is organic. We are the only 100 percent certified organic restaurant in the world. It’s a natural thing for me because everything I cook at home is organic. It all started back in about 2000 and was spurred on by my wife and two kids. My daughter was only six but on the path to being overweight, and I weighed about 315 pounds. We realized we really needed to change our diets.

You know, America is number one in the world for cancer, diabetes, and obesity. We’re going the wrong way, and I think it’s all due to our diets. Something has to give. All these chemicals and pesticides and partially hydrogenated oils. Our bodies don’t know what to do with all that. Since I started eating organic, I feel great. I lost about 65 pounds and my daughter is 16 now and so healthy and beautiful. I haven’t had a cold in years, and my energy level is through the ceiling.

We still cook all the time at home. We do a lot of egg whites and salsa and my kids love my Chicken Crunchies, which are tortillas toasted on the grill with chicken and cheddar. For the last three to four weeks we’ve been doing these gluten-free pancakes. These pancakes are amazing. I’m not kidding. My wife and daughter eat them with butter and maple syrup. What I do — and this grosses my wife and daughter out — is I cook up some Applegate organic bacon and roll it up in the pancakes and eat it like that. They’re the best. Seriously, you’ve got to try them.

INGREDIENTS

Serves 4

• 1–2 tbsp. butter or oil
• 1 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 egg
• 1 cup Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Pancake Mix

HOW TO DO IT

Heat a griddle or large pan on the stove. Griddle is ready when a drop of water sizzles on the surface. Melt 1–2 tablespoons of butter or oil on the griddle and spread evenly until the griddle is coated.

In a medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk, olive oil, and egg. Add pancake mix and stir until well combined. Batter will be slightly lumpy. Pour about a quarter of a cup of batter onto the hot griddle. Flip pancakes when the edges look cooked and the batter bubbles on the top. Serve hot with butter, jam, syrup, or all three.

NOTE: You can purchase Bob’s Red Mill products at health food stores like Whole Foods or online at: bobsredmill.com