Whole Grains Meet Light and Fluffy...

Pancakes are wonderful. They are so easy to make, and can be done just about anywhere. In fact, my third grade teacher made pink heart-shaped pancakes for our class on an overhead projector as part of a science project-meets-Valentine's celebration. I will never forget that! (Of course, he also had us heat hot dogs with electrical wire and batteries, but that's another story!)

Actually, I don't make them that often. I usually do muffins or waffles or cooked oatmeal or.... But today I wanted to have something whole grain with very little sugar, and my husband had defrosted some bacon, so whatever I made needed to not be too heavy. Pancakes it was. And of course I had to make my son's into hearts, ha ha. It IS Valentine's Day!

This is my all time favorite pancake recipe. They turn out nice and fluffy, moist, and delicious. I like them best when actual (not powdered) buttermilk is available. Using a combination of plain yogurt and milk also works well. They turn out the same, regardless of whether you decide to use applesauce, oil, or a combination, at least in my experience. If you go the applesauce route, I'd omit the sugar; they will be plenty sweet, especially when you drizzle them with syrup.

Today I served them with mashed Oregon strawberries, two cups, sweetened with 1 tablespoon of honey, the last of our berry supply in the deep freeze. The bacon was from a pig that was raised locally, butchered locally, and was cured naturally, using a nitrate-free formula. Yum!

Light and Fluffy Whole Grain Pancakes

Stir together in a large mixing bowl:
1 cup whole wheat PASTRY flour
1/4 cup oat flour
1/4 cup quick cooking oats
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar, optional

Whisk together in a separate bowl:
1 1/2 cups buttermilk (or 3/4 cup plain yogurt and 3/4 cup milk)
3 tbsp canola oil, or unsweetened applesauce, or a combination of the two
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla

Lightly stir wet into dry, being careful not to overmix. Let stand while you preheat your griddle over high heat. Using a bit of butter or oil, lightly grease the surface of your pan. Turn heat down to medium-high and cook drop about 1/4 cup batter for each pancake, being careful not to crowd. When bubbles appear, turn over and cook for an additional minute or two until golden brown.

Makes about 12 pancakes.