When I was little, my dad used to make us pancakes for special occasions.  Since he firmly believed that breakfast was the most important meal of the day, he refused to feed us junk in the morning (or ever, for that matter…but especially in the morning!)  His version of a pancake usually included flax or chia seeds, buckwheat, oat flour, and sometimes millet if we were really unlucky.  As a child, I’d always wished that he would just make us the fluffy buttermilk pancakes that I ate at friends houses after sleepovers, but now as an adult I am grateful that my dad made pancakes the way that he did.  Not only did it sneak some extra fiber into my growing body, but it also gave me an appreciation for whole, natural, and healthy ingredients.  This recipe is the perfect bridge between my dad’s über-healthy pancakes and those delicious fluffy pancakes I used to dream of.  The batter really does come out light and airy and the pancakes actually are healthy considering they contain whole wheat flour and whole oats, while leaving out the butter altogether.  It’s the best of both worlds!

The first time I made this recipe my husband asked me why I ever made the “unhealthy kind” because not only were these Whole Wheat Oat Pancakes healthier than normal recipes, they also tasted better.  This is now my go-to pancake recipe, and I hope it becomes yours too!

Whole Wheat Oat Pancakes
Yield:  12 pancakes
Time:  20 minutes total

1 cup whole wheat flour
½ cup Old Fashioned oats
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 egg
1 cup skim milk
2 tbsp. brown sugar
¼ cup yogurt
1 tsp. vanilla extract

1. In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the flour, oats, baking powder and cinnamon.  Set aside.
2. In a separate medium mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, brown sugar, yogurt, and vanilla.  Whisk until no lumps remain.
3. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, being careful not to overmix.  (You’ll get lighter, fluffier pancakes if you don’t overbeat the batter!  Nobody likes a tough, dense pancake!)  Allow the batter to sit for 5 minutes before cooking.
4. Heat a pancake griddle or frying pan.  Lightly coat with non-stick spray and cook the pancakes over medium heat for about 2 minutes per side.  The best way to know when the pancake is ready to be flipped over is to look for the little bubbles that rise to the surface and pop.  Once you see a handful of these bubbles appear, it’s time to flip!
5. Enjoy with your favorite toppings:  maple syrup, butter, fresh berries, sliced bananas,…

PDF to Print Recipe for Whole Wheat Oat Pancakes