Saturday Morning Treat

Whole Grain Pancakes

Saturday morning is the perfect time to make pancakes from scratch. At our house we avoid white flour and sugar wherever we can but really don't want to compromise the lightness and yum factor of pancakes. These cakes are loaded with whole grain goodness- whole wheat flour and wheat germ....you could even add oat bran or any other good whole grains you have in your pantry....but they are still light and just as delicious (with even more flavor) than their white flour cousins.  The key is to separate the eggs and beat the whites until light and fluffy and then fold them into the mix. Be sure not to stir too hard or beat too long or you'll compromise the lightness that the egg whites bring. Be sure to serve with some delicious raw local honey or 100% maple syrup (try the B grade- it actually has retained some of the vitamins and minerals that are normally lost during ultra- refining).

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (pastry flour is milled finer so it's a bit lighter than regular whole wheat flour)

1/2 cup wheat germ

1/4 cup evaporated cane juice (optional)

1 t baking powder

1/2 t baking baking soda

1/4 t salt

1 t cinnamon (I use the Alchemy Spice Sweet Spice blend)

3/4 cup milk

3/4 cup yogurt

1/4 cup oil (canola or grapeseed)

generous splash of vanilla

2 large eggs- separated

1/2 cup fruit or nuts (bananas, peaches, blueberries, strawberries, almonds, walnuts, pecans)

Mix dry ingredients together. Mix wet ingredients together (except for the egg whites). Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Mix wet mixture into dry- just until moistened and then gently beat in whites- fold in fruit at the same time. Cook in skillet or on a griddle over medium heat. These freeze well so double the recipe and have some extra to freeze!