From Dr. Jackie Gardner-Nix
My grandchildren and I love pancakes but I know they are not a healthy breakfast. In fact when I immigrated to Canada from the UK, 35 years ago, I still remember the shock of finding Canadians eating them for breakfast when we only had them for tea. And, surely, muffins were a disguise for cakes, also not to be consumed except at high tea? Although the Canadian version did seem to have roughage if they were bran—but oh—the chocolate chips—!
Imagine my delight in finding a recipe for healthy pancakes that I could make with my grandchildren without guilt. Courtesy of a modification of a recipe I found in Hello Magazine and provided by Jill De Jong, a fitness trainer, no less. These can be gluten free if all ingredients come from gluten-free facilities, and are great to make and eat, Mindfully.
1/3 cup of oat or almond flour (I use almond)
¼ cup of rolled oats (not the steel cut, though)
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon of baking soda
1/3 cup cottage cheese (I have also used cream cheese)
3 eggs
3 tablespoons of milk or a non-dairy substitute (I use oat or almond milk)
1 teaspoon of olive oil and more for the pan
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
A pinch of salt
Mix together and lightly beat the wet ingredients. Mix together the dry ones. Then combine and whisk together until well combined. There will still be lumps from the cottage cheese. Leave to sit for about 10 minutes. Heat the frying pan with olive oil. Then make batches of the pancakes, keeping them hot in dish in an oven on low.
Chocolate chips for the Canadian palate can be added, or crushed walnuts, or blueberries, while cooking.
Top with butter and, optionally, maple syrup, crushed walnuts, blueberry or peach compote, whatever you like. This quantity only makes 2 to 3 helpings, so double it for a larger gathering. With a little more olive oil in the mix, these can also be made into waffles in your waffle iron.
Peach or Blueberry Compote
2 cups of blueberries or sliced peaches, 2 teaspoons of cinnamon, 2 tablespoons of maple syrup or more, to taste.
Combine and microwave to desired consistency.
Scrumptious!