Husband calls around 5. He says, what’s for dinner? I say, take out or breakfast food. He says, what are my options? I say hmm fried eggs, omelets, french toast, pancakes… “PANCAKES”, he shouts. OK, really healthy low cal banana pancakes? Or really delicious unhealthy pancakes? Or an in-between? IN BETWEEN! (he shouts when he’s hungry).
Light and fluffy using ALL whole wheat flour? You betcha. I know that blackberries are not in season, but sometimes my deal-savvy side takes over my eat-locally conscience. Two packages for 3$ at my local Giant. I’d never had blackberry pancakes, but I figure since blackberries have that sort of sweet/sour thing going, they’d taste lovely smothered in maple syrup.
I was right! While eating our “in between” pancakes, I look at husband and say, “is there anything better than pancakes?”. I mean honestly, I asked, would you rather have had chicken and veggies or this plate of pancakes”. PANCAKES! Husband ate 8, I ate two (with a big helping of lowfat cottage cheese for some added protein), and baby girl at 2. No leftovers, but I figure that amount would serve 4 normal people, especially if there was fruit/yogurt/bacon in the mix. Breakfast for dinner is the best!
Lastly, if you’re going back to work soon and leaving your baby, DO NOT listen to that song by Phil Collins from the Disney movie Tarzan – the one about Tarzan leaving his Gorilla mom. Just don’t do it. Bad idea.
Whole Wheat Blackberry Pancakes
Serves 4
Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen
2 c. whole wheat flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. honey
1 egg
2 c. buttermilk (or clabbered milk*)
3 tbsp. butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 pint blackberries, halved or cut into thirds, width-wise
* To make clabbered milk, use the ratio of 1 tbsp. to each cup. Fill a liquid measuring cup with 1 tbsp. white vinegar or lemon/lime juice, then fill to the 1 c. line with lowfat milk. Stir and let sit 10 minutes before using.
1. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk honey, egg and buttermilk. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture and mix gently until barely combined.
3. Add butter and fold in gently.
4. Heat a nonstick griddle or skillet over medium high heat for 2-3 minutes, or until water sizzles when flicked onto surface with fingertips. This is called the “flick test” in my school kitchen. If the water sizzles, it’s ready. If it just sits there, the skillet is not hot enough. If it steams/evaporates, the skillet is too hot. I personally think the main reason people screw up pancakes is the temperature of their skillet.
5. Add butter/oil/nonstick spray to pan. Spoon or ladle batter into 4 inch. rounds in pan. Immediately place blackberry pieces across the pancake surface (about 3-4 pieces per pancake).
6. Cook until bubbles break the surface and the bottom is golden brown. Flip and cook until the second side is golden brown.
7. Remove to a plate (if serving all at once, place a nonstick-sprayed wire rack in a 200 degree oven and place pancakes onto it as they finish) and continue with the rest of the batter and blackberries.
