About a month ago, I bought a wheat grinder.  I felt like I was saving money by buying one because I could get wheat kernels from my church cannery for a lot cheaper price than at the store.  I also don’t have to pay a lot of money for prepackaged mixes with whole wheat.  Whole Wheat ones seem to cost at least twice as much.  Now I have a ton of whole wheat flour and I am looking for what to do with it.  I decided to make pancakes since my family really likes those.  We even have them for dinner sometimes.

Why Eat Whole Wheat

There has been a lot of research about whole grains and whole wheat and I have read about lots of health benefits.  Some of those include; women who eat whole grains weigh less, lowers our risk for type 2 diabetes, help prevent gallstones, are preventative against breast cancer, are also highly protective against childhood asthma, and not to mention they keep you going.  With all of those benefits why not choose whole wheat?

Getting Your Family Used to Whole Wheat

My family has not really been used to eating whole wheat.  My husband says he hates it.  When you buy wheat kernels, they come in hard red or hard white.  The hard white seems to have a taste that is more acceptable to people.  I also have started my family out slow by using a 50/50 mix of white and wheat flour.  I feel better knowing I am at least getting some whole grains in them.  They have really seemed to accept this alternative and they are really shocked that they like the foods I am serving with the added wheat in it.  I think this helps get them used to whole wheat instead of adding it all at once.

Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes

These pancakes are adapted from a Cooking Light recipe.  I do not know why they called them Whole Wheat pancakes because they do have the white flour in them too.  I do know that they are really good. I think you could add all wheat flour and these would still be good.

Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes

¾ cup whole wheat flour

¾ cup all-purpose flour

3 Tablespoons sugar

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

1 ½ teaspoons baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 ½ cups buttermilk (see note below)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 Tablespoon canola oil

1 large egg

1 large egg white

Cooking spray

Combine flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl and whisk together. In a separate bowl combine buttermilk, eggs, oil, and vanilla and whisk well.  Add the wet ingredients into the dry and mix just until moistened and combined.  Heat a nonstick griddle or skillet to medium heat.  Coat pan with cooking spray and then pour on pancake batter.  Use about ¼ cup batter.  Wait until bubbles form and edges are set and then flip.

Makes 12 pancakes.

Note: As a substitute for 1 cup butter milk, place 1 tbs lemon juice in a 1 cup measuring cup and then fill the remaining with milk. Just ½ those amounts to get the other ½ cup.  Let the milk mixture sit for a couple of minutes before using.

Syrup For My Pancakes

If you want to make the perfect pancake, you need good syrup to top it. I try not to buy any syrup anymore because I have the basic ingredients already in my kitchen and it really is so easy to make.  Here are two I use a lot:

Homemade Maple Syrup
4 cups white sugar
½ cup brown sugar
2 cups water
2 teaspoons maple flavoring (or vanilla)
Mix the water and sugars in a pot and simmer for 15 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in the flavoring. Cool and pour into container. You do not need to refrigerate the syrup.

Buttermilk Syrup

1 ½ cups sugar

¾ cup buttermilk

½ cup butter

2 Tablespoons corn syrup

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons vanilla

Place first 5 ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook for 7 minutes stirring to prevent scorching.  (Mixture will foam.)  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

Note: Don’t let the name scare you, this taste like a caramel sauce and you will not want to go back to maple syrup after trying it.

Saving Time with Pancakes

I like to make pancake mixes.  I just take all the dry ingredients in the recipe and place them in a zip lock bag and label it.  This makes it real easy; all I have to do is add the wet ingredients.  These pancakes also freeze well.  I like to double the recipe and I use them for a quick breakfast during the week.  Just lay out the pancakes in a single layer on a baking sheet or another pan.  Freeze until solid and then place in a zip lock bag and label what it is and the date you froze them.  To serve, I just reheat in the microwave.