Looking back, I guess I have not posted many breakfast recipes on this blog! I guess that's because I do breakfast pretty simply- boxed cereal, toast, or eggs, nothing too fancy. Once in awhile I'll break out the skillet to make pancakes, which are a favorite of my kids. They are not all that healthy or nutritious, however, so we don't make them often. Back when they were little, we established a tradition of having "breakfast for dinner" on Friday evenings. I had toyed with an oatmeal pancake recipe back then, but never really found one that all of us liked a lot. Recently, I started thinking about it again, so started doing some searches, and ran across a Cooking Light recipe from a few years ago that got great reviews. I have only made it once (with some tweaks) and am already a fan!
Now, if you are looking for light, fluffy pancakes to soak up real maple syrup like little pillows of sweetness, this is not the recipe for you. If that's what you want, then we're back to the once in awhile treat of real buttermilk pancakes. However, if you are looking for a hearty, filling, nutritious alternative and are willing to keep an open mind, give these a try. They are denser than traditional pancakes, but not the hockey pucks that I experimented with a few years ago. The oatmeal gives them plenty of substance, while the buttermilk helps to lighten the texture. The original recipe is here, and my version follows. I prefer honey as a sweetener, so have subbed half of the sugar for honey. I also reduced the butter, and added 1/2 tsp. of vanilla, because, why not- vanilla is great in pancakes! The yogurt/fruit topping was my own idea, and I love it- it's just sweet enough without being overly sweet, and deliciously creamy. Use whatever fruit you like- I used thawed frozen cherries on mine.
Oatmeal Pancakes With Honeyed Yogurt and Fruit
1 cup quick cooking oatmeal
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1.5 tsp sugar
1.5 tsp honey
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup reduced or non-fat buttermilk
1 large egg, slightly beaten
1 tbsp melted butter
1. Combine all dry ingredients into a medium bowl.
2. In a small bowl, combine egg, buttermilk and butter.
3. Stir into dry ingredients until just combined.
4. Heat a skillet over medium heat and spray with cooking spray. Spoon batter onto heated skillet. Cook pancakes about 2 minutes per side or until golden. Remove to a plate.
Honeyed Yogurt
For each serving of pancakes, combine:
1/3 cup plain nonfat yogurt
2 tsp honey
Stir together until well incorporated.
Serve pancakes topped with honeyed yogurt and fruit of choice.
