Better-for-you Buttermilk Pancakes

Mmm, we love pancakes! We have a Saturday morning tradition of having a hot, cooked breakfast- it's the only day of the week we have time, with school & work on weekdays and church early on Sundays. Pancakes are one of our faves (Dustin started us out on panny-cakes), and we have experimented a lot with recipes. My favorite is actually a Buttermilk Pancake recipe from Lexy's Better Homes Junior Cookbook, but we make it healthier (and more filling) by using a combo of oat and whole-wheat flours in place of white flour. They are light, fluffy, and delicious! I will post the original recipe below, but if you have a big family like us you may want to double it (I always do and usually only have about 2-3 pancakes left over, if any!). Oh, and I never have buttermilk, so I make my own- 1 cup milk + 1 Tb lemon juice or vinegar, just let it sit a few minutes.

Better-for-you Buttermilk Pancakes serves 3-4

1 c. whole-grain flour (I use 1/2 oat, 1/2 whole-wheat)

1 tb. sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 egg

1 cup buttermilk (or 1 c. milk + 1 tb. lemon juice)

2 tb. canola oil

Heat non-stick skillet or electric griddle on medium heat (350 degrees). Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, soda and salt. Make a well in the center. Pour in egg, buttermilk and oil. Whisk wet ingredients and then mix them into dry ones until well combined. At this point I often add any extra ingredients (see ideas below). DO NOT grease the skillet or griddle (as long as it's non-stick)- this eliminates that weird batch of first pancakes (took us a while to figure that one out!). When skillet is hot, pour about 1/4 c. batter on for each pancake. Cook until bubbles form on top and edges appear slightly dry, turn and cook until golden brown. Serve with maple or fruit syrup, fresh fruit, whipped cream, or whatever your heart desires (click here for a yummy homemade maple syrup recipe)!

* I often jazz the batter up with one of the following: 1 mashed banana, 1 c. frozen blueberries, or 1 diced apple + 1/2 tsp. cinnamon. Dustin put some cocoa powder in once, and it wasn't my fave, but whatever floats your boat! If you really want chocolate I'd probably recommend shaved chocolate rather than cocoa powder.