Pancake Breakfast!!!!
19. Jan, 2011 
5 Comments
Can you tell I’m excited?!? The last couple of weeks have been pretty eventful. I did a really fun cooking demo at Inside Out Body Therapies in Durham, then took Dave to New York for his birthday to see Camper Van Beethoven do their classic record Key Lime Pie. In between those we had a snow day, so I made birthday pancakes.
I don’t make pancakes the usual way; of course I have to health-ify ‘em. The “surprise” in these pancakes isn’t the cooked grains; it’s that they actually work in the recipe and taste just wonderful. That, and the fact that you’ll sail all the way to dinner without thinking about food again. They’re very filling! Not in that Jersey-diner, I-might-die-full-of-these-same-pancakes way, but in a satisfying, slow-burning, energizing, Let’s-climb-a-mountain way. In fact, this is my absolute favorite Sunday breakfast before a big hike or bike ride.
Any kind of grain will do. I love steel-cut oats because they’re so creamy yet al dente. (Sorry, there’s no other word for it.) But I’ve also used amaranth, quinoa, millet, brown rice, or any combination I happen to have in the fridge.
A quick note here on steel-cut oats versus rolled oats. Besides the better texture (in my opinion) of steel-cut oats, they also have less surface area than rolled oats. Without getting into too much math, which I think should be left out of one’s dietary choices, the glycemic index of a grain – how quickly and how high it raises your blood sugar – is related in part to the surface area of the grain. More surface area = higher glycemic index = more rapid and higher rise in blood sugar = (possible) weight gain. You might guess that there is a whole lot of debate on this and tons of information elsewhere online. If you’re interested, go for it. What works best for me is just knowing that whole grains (= less surface area) = my body feels better = ‘nuf said.
So anyhoo, steel-cut oats have less surface area than rolled oats, which have less surface area than quick-cook oats, which have less surface area than flour. I use whole wheat flour in this recipe as well, because I’m not a glutenazi and it works best for flavor and texture. Also, buttermilk powder is not strictly necessary in this recipe, but why wouldn’t you? It keeps almost forever in the fridge and makes pancakes taste about a million times better. If you can’t/don’t do dairy, you can do the vinegar-in-almond milk thing. Oh yeah – don’t forget the berry maple syrup. You won’t believe how good it is.
I hear there’s another storm headed for the northeast. I’m sorry you’re getting hammered up there! Here’s some consolation:
SURPRISE PANCAKES
This recipe feeds two or three with leftovers and easily doubles for a crowd.
1-1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
6 Tbsp buttermilk powder*
1-1/2 cup water
3/4 cup leftover cooked grain
*Or use 1-1/2 cups milk of any kind; or 1-1/2 Tbsp vinegar or lemon juice, filling to 1-1/2 cups with milk of any kind
Mix dry ingredients together.
In a separate large bowl whisk the egg with the water (wet ingredients).
Mix in dry ingredients and stir in grain. Don’t over-mix.
Heat a griddle to medium heat for five minutes; wipe with a little oil. Slowly pour about 1/4 cup batter (a 1/4 measure works great for this) for a pancake 4-5 inches in diameter. Cook until edges start to look dry and small bubbles form across the top. Flip ‘em with a spatula. Continue to cook until both sides are golden brown. Keep warm in a 200-degree oven until ready to eat.
Cool leftover pancakes completely, separate with waxed paper and toss in a freezer bag. Reheat in a toaster or toaster oven and love that you are enjoying homemade pancakes before work.
BERRY SYRUP
In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup berries (any kind, or a mix) and 1 cup maple syrup to boil. Simmer for 15 minutes or until reduced and slightly thicker. Pour over pancakes and enjoy. Keeps indefinitely in the fridge, but you will finish it in short order anyway.
If you make these – and I hope you do – post a comment here and let me know what you think!
Thank you, Lynn! It is cold here in Michigan and I am going to try these. Need to make a trip to the grocery store.
The photo looks tasty. keep those tips and recipes coming. xxoo
Wow Lynn! These sound and look amazing! I can’t wait to try them. I don’t usually eat pancakes but look forward to trying a healthy version for sure. Also, thanks for the grain surface area lesson! :^D Your blogs are always interesting and fun to read. XO
Wow. I’m not a big pancake fan but these pancakes sound delicious! I will be cooking up some healthy flapjacks this weekend! Thanks for the promo for steel cut oats! They are my absolute favorite!
Thanks, ladies! Did anyone try them yet? I reheated some last week and they were wonderful. Not quite as good as freshly made, but also ready in less than five minutes.
Lynn
Hi Lynn, I made your pancakes this morning, and they were delicious. I used steel cut oats as you recommended. The only berries I had on hand were strawberries, which made a great syrup, but I can’t wait to try it with blueberries. So glad that Lisa over at LivingShalom.com posted a link to your site!