Hearty Oatmeal Pancakes

Sorry, for the sake of hungry boys wanting hot pancakes, no picture of perfectly stacked pancakes.

Pancakes are normally reserved for Saturdays in our home. For a special treat, we were able to enjoy them on a snow day.

Traditional pancakes don't keep us feeling satisfied for long. For years now I have made whole wheat pancakes using white whole wheat flour. Whole wheat pancakes are much more filling than using all-purpose flour. About a year ago I had a friend share with me that adding oatmeal to pancakes helps make them more hearty. (Thanks, Margaret!) This has become my favorite way to fill up my hungry boys.

Using whole wheat flour and oatmeal not only makes more satisfying pancakes, but I feel a lot better about serving them to my family. Traditional white pancakes makes me feel like I am serving cake with butter and syrup on top for breakfast. Not the best way to start the day.

The following is my basic recipe that I tweaked from the Better Homes and Garden's Cookbook. We like to add in whatever extras we have on hand (i.e. peeled and chopped apples, chocolate chips, blueberries), or just eat them as is.

Recipe
2 C white whole wheat flour
1 C rolled oats or quick oats
2 T milled flax seed
2 T baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 T honey or 2 T sugar (if using sugar, add it to the dry ingredients)
2 C milk*
2 eggs
1/4 C apple sauce

If using rolled oats: Measure wet ingredients (last 4 ingredients) and stir in rolled oats.** Let sit while you measure out dry ingredients. Measure dry ingredients separately except for the oats. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir to incorporate. Stir in add-ins if desired.*** If mixture is too thick or thin, feel free to add additional flour or milk as needed.

If using quick oats: Measure dry ingredients (first 5 ingredients) and add in wet ingredients (last 4 ingredients). Stir in add-ins if desired. *** If mixture is too thick or thin, feel free to add additional flour or milk as needed.

To cook: Fry pancakes in a greased, medium heat skillet or griddle as you would normally fry pancakes. Serve with your favorite pancake toppings.

Additional Notes
*Any kind of milk will work. I usually use skim milk or almond milk, but you can use whatever you normally use. I rarely buy buttermilk, but it obviously works great in pancakes too.
**I like to measure the milk in a large measuring cup and then add the rest of the wet ingredients to the measuring cup so I don't dirty another bowl. It is also easier to pour the pancakes from a measuring cup.
***Add-ins are not necessary. The pancakes taste great on their own, but feel free to stir in fruit, etc. Our favorite add-ins are peeled and chopped apples, chocolate chips, or blueberries. I don't really measure these, but about 1/2 cup to 1 cup of add-ins is about right for this recipe.