First off, whole grain buttermilk pancakes. SO yummy. I tried two different brands of whole grain pancake mix, neither of which was enjoyable, before searching out a recipe to make from scratch. There are a few more I'd like to try (like this one in the NY Times this week), but I made the one below for the second time tonight, and it is a total winner. I would be very happy to order these in a restaurant, even if I wasn't trying to be healthy! They are flavorful and fluffy without being dry. Last time I made them I threw the extras in the freezer, and after a quick pop in the toaster oven they were a perfect snack or side dish for the munchkin - I put a dab of butter on them for her, but they barely need a thing. Not that I ever turn down maple syrup, but you get the idea :)
Then, because I am still searching out the best healthy muffin recipes, I had to try one in the same NY Times article I mentioned above about eating more whole grains for breakfast. This recipe has all whole wheat flour (instead of half all-purpose like many recipes I've seen), and also includes granola for extra heartiness. We belong to a CSA in NYC, and in addition to the great produce, I got really excited about some of the "extras" we were able ot order from regional producers. I have bought meat, poultry, eggs, honey, maple syrup, and granola. The granola was delicious, but I haven't been sure how to eat it. I think it probably goes best with yogurt, but I'm not a huge yogurt fan, and I was always nervous about eating it on it's own because it's so calorie dense and easy to overeat. So this recipe got me really excited as a way to use some of my delicious granola! I overcooked them a drop because I converted the timing from full size muffins and apparently they needed a lot less time, but they are still really tasty. Hearty but not heavy - the texture is actually really nice, a bit surprising given how healthy they are. And while I'm not generally a big raisin fan, they help these to stay really moist. I would definitely make them again! The only problem is the seeds that were in my granola might be a bit tough for the munchkin to manage, but I'm sure hubby and I will do a good job of finishing off this batch without her help :)
Here are the recipes:
Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pankcakes
adapted from Cooking Light
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large egg
1 large egg white
Butter
Whisk together flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, whisk together buttermilk, oil, egg, and egg white. Add the wet ingredients to add to flour mixture and stir until just combined.
Heat a nonstick griddle or nonstick skillet over medium heat. Once hot, lightly butter (tear the paper off one end of a stick of butter and just quickly go over the pan). Drop spoonfuls onto your griddle (I used a 3 tbsp cookie scoop - the batter is thick so this worked well for me.) Flip pancakes when the tops are bubbling and edges look cooked. The second side cooks very quickly so don't go far.
Pancakes can be kept warm in a 200 degree oven. They also freeze well - wait until they are cool, wrap individual portions in plastic wrap, and store in a zip top bag.
Makes approximately 12-14 pancakes
Granola Muffins
adapted from The New York Times
1 cup granola (I had maple blueberry flax and was nervous it would give a funny taste, but you can't tell at all, which leads me to believe you can use any granola you want!)
1/2 cup low-fat milk
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup buttermilk or yogurt
1/4 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Combine the granola and milk in a bowl and let sit for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, cover the raisins with hot water and soak for 15 minutes. Drain and pat dry with a towel.
Preheat the oven to 375ºF with a rack in the middle. Spray muffin tin with non-stick spray.
Sift dry ingredients (whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt) into a small bowl. (I have found that stone ground whole wheat flour is really annoying to sift, so the second time I made this recipe I just whisked the dry ingredients together and the muffins still came out great!)
In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, honey, buttermilk or yogurt, canola oil and vanilla. Quickly whisk in the flour, then fold in the granola/milk mixture and raisins. Combine well.
Distribute batter into muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 of the way full. Bake until lightly browned, 10-12 minutes for mini-muffins or 20 to 25 minutes for full size (this is according to the original recipe - I only made the minis). Cool in the tins until you can handle the muffins and then remove them to finish cooling on a plate or rack.
Freeze any muffins that will not be eaten in a day or so in a zip-top bag and defrost in the microwave when needed.
Makes 12 regular or 24 mini-muffins
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