Pancakes -Variations on a theme

[ccrawford]

Pancakes are a favorite around our house, and there is no peace until grandpa makes up a batch for the three grandkids when they come. There are a lot of ways to make pancakes a little healthier without losing any flavor. This isn't a recipie, just a lot of ideas you can try on your own using the commercially available mixes. Where the box calls for milk, substitute water or at least skim milk. Substiture egg beaters for real eggs - you won't notice the difference. Add some fruit such as blueberries or blackberries to the mix. (make the mix a little thicker so the pancakes will be thick enough to hold the larger berries. Omit the butter or margarine, or at least cut way back. Use a natural fruit syrup ( I made up a batch of homemade blackberry syrup that is really great) Add oat bran to the mix - you can add up to about 10% by volume without affecting the taste or texture. If you don't like the graininess of the bran, grind it up finer in your cuisinart for about three minutes. Add both cinnamon and nutmeg to your mix. We usually make up a large batch, then stick the extras in a freezer bag and keep it in the fridge. With little ones around (or me for that matter) they don't last long. Have a good breakfast !

 

[JimL]

For years it was our family custom to have pancakes for Sunday lunch -- but with three growing sons and a daughter, we never had leftovers.

I appreciate your heart-healthy variations on a theme. About fifteen years ago I had a temporary source of cream, namely from a dairy farmer who would skim off a quart for me from the bulk tank in the morning. Pancakes made with real cream can't be compared! Although we still add extra eggs to our mix and use real milk, we do sometimes add heart-healthy chocolate chips.

 

[ccrawford]

Jim - I must admit, that all sounds really tempting: Real cream, extra eggs, and chocolate chips. Do you think I should schedule my second bypass immediately after breakfast????

 

[JimL]

Sorry, Chris. My pipes were clean when they did the catheterization.
I go camping Monday for a couple of days, and I plan on bacon and pancakes for Tuesday breakfast, and bacon and eggs for Wednesday breakfast. I don't have any fresh cream, so that's out.
I would guess that I'll eat bacon one other time before the end of this year. I haven't had cream in years. I rarely eat eggs.
But chocolate chips, with their high magnesium content, are definitely heart-healthy!

 

[ccrawford]

Ironically, Jim - You've hit on another of my weaknesses. Maybe that's not unusual given the number of weaknesses possessed by yours truly but --- Bacon is wonderful ! It can make the breakfast a complete experience, it can make the luncheon of BLT a heavenly experience, especially this time of year when the home grown tomatoes are just gorgous. What's a guy gonna do when all these temtations are beckoning ? I'm thinking the ten commandments were lacking in their completeness. "Thou shalt not eat stuff that really tastes good " ?? Just got back from picking blackberries. With all the rain we've had they are huge and I'm hoping for a blackberry cobbler or at least some more blackberry syrup for my pancakes (see the recipie section). Just imagine Bacon and blackberry pancakes !!!!!!!!

 

[Granbonny]

Chris

Chris

How many chigger bites did you have after picking blackberries. My deer and bear beat me to mine every year. Bonnie

 

[nadi]

Not fair

Not fair

Chris,

That was not fair! You have my cravings going NUTS!
Blackberries are the best.
Bacon is my weakness! I love it so I try to behave most of the time so I cheat with my favorite chicken recipe.
Boneless skinless chicken breasts fan fried in a "little" of the dripping from the bacon you fried before hand, when almost done add sliced mushrooms(fresh or canned drained). When the mushrooms have cooked down, place a piece of bacon on each breast sprinkle with grated cheese and let melt.

 

[JimL]

Indiana must be south of Michigan if you have ripe tomatoes already. Ours used to ripen around the end of July when we lived just over the border from Ohio, but now they need some time yet.
Raspberries, however, have been abundant for weeks, and we have had several raspberry pies, and raspberry pancakes with strawberry topping.
When I was hospitalized they took me off salt, and told me to stay off salt -- even though I've never used much -- and what a difference in the taste of everything, it all tasted so salty! So also our sweet teeth and bacon delights are acquired tastes that can be unacquired.
But no hamburger compares to a hamburger that has been wrapped in raw bacon and then grilled....

 

[ccrawford]

I don't have trouble with chiggers Bonnie - I think the Coumadin scares um off. The briars are another question. When I come back from the blackberry patch, I look like I came from Custer's last stand. Gee Bonnie, all those walks with your husband are doing a great job, you look wonderful, and you've got a car just like Ross's too. Must be the coming thing. Nadine, that recipe sounds great, as does Jim's recipe for bacon wrapped hamburgers, but I'm affraid the censor wouldn't allow us to put these in the healthy recipies section. Jim. the Rasberries tend to peak down here in June. I've got a pretty good sized patch, but it went to h___ this year because somebody had surgery and it didn't get weeded -healthy looking weeds though !