Whole-Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes with Strawberry-Maple Syrup

Ingredients

Syrup:
• ¾ cup pure maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons finely grated orange peel (from 1 orange)
• ½ vanilla bean, halved lengthwise
• 2 cups fresh strawberries, cored and quartered

Pancakes:

• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup whole-wheat flour
• ½ cup instant oats
• 3 tablespoons caster sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ cups 1 percent low-fat buttermilk
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ½ cup sliced almonds, toasted

Directions

To make syrup:
1. In heavy medium saucepan, combine maple syrup and orange zest.
2. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into syrup then add bean.
3. Bring syrup to boil over high heat.
4. Remove saucepan from heat and stir in strawberries.
5. Cover and set aside off heat for 15 minutes.
6. Before serving, rewarm syrup over medium-low heat just until hot but not simmering, if necessary. Discard vanilla bean.

To make pancakes:

7. In large bowl, whisk all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to blend.
8. In medium bowl, whisk buttermilk, eggs, and oil to blend.
9. Pour buttermilk mixture into flour mixture and stir with wooden spoon just until moist but still lumpy.
10. Heat large nonstick griddle pan or heavy large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Spray pan with nonstick spray.
11. Using about ⅓ cup of batter for each pancake, spoon batter onto griddle and cook until pancakes are golden brown and puffed, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
12. Wipe griddle or skillet with paper towels and spray with nonstick spray before cooking each batch of pancakes.
13. Transfer pancakes to plates.
14. Top with butter and spoon strawberries and syrup over pancakes. Sprinkle with almonds and serve immediately.

Double Chocolate Pancakes with Strawberry Sauce

Chocolate Pancakes with Strawberry Sauce (Courtesy of HarperCollins)

(Makes 6 servings)

Strawberry Sauce

• 1 16-ounce package frozen unsweetened whole strawberries
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

Pancakes

• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 egg
• 1 egg white
• 1 cup skim milk
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Sauce:

In large saucepan, combine frozen fruit, syrup, and 2 tablespoons water. Bring mixture to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, about 10 to 15 minutes. As sauce simmers, break up whole berries with wooden spoon or fork.

Pancakes:

In large bowl, whisk flours, cocoa, sugar, flaxseed, baking powder, and salt. In medium bowl, lightly beat whole egg and egg white. Add the milk, oil, and vanilla, and whisk together. Pour the wet ingredients over dry and stir until just blended. Don’t overmix. Carefully fold in chocolate chips. Let batter rest for 10 minutes.
When strawberry sauce has reached syrupy consistency, remove from heat.
Coat large skillet or griddle with oil spray. Preheat over medium heat. When pan is hot (after about 2 minutes), ladle about 1/4 cup batter per pancake onto surface. Cook pancakes until small bubbles form around edges, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip pancakes over and cook about 1 minute longer. Recoat skillet between batches.
Serve 2 pancakes with 1/3 cup warm strawberry sauce and sprinkling of chocolate chips on each plate.

Upside-Down Pan Pizza with the Works

“One serving of this fun, upside-down concoction has far less calories, fat, and sodium than a traditional New York-style slice.” —Joy Bauer

• 1 1/4 pounds ground turkey or beef (at least 90 percent lean)
• 1 medium red onion, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 2 portobello mushrooms, stems removed, caps diced
• 1 (28-ounce) can no-salt added crushed tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano, plus extra for sprinkling
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 3/4 cup whole-grain baking or pancake mix
• 1 1/2 cups skim milk
• 1 large egg
• 2 large egg whites

Preheat oven to 375 F. Coat 13 x 9-inch baking dish with oil spray and set aside. Coat large skillet with oil spray and preheat over medium heat. Add ground meat, onion, bell pepper, and mushrooms to skillet and saute until meat is cooked through, about 10 minutes.
Drain off any liquid. Add crushed tomatoes, oregano, basil, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper, and stir with meat mixture.
Spoon tomato-meat mixture into prepared baking dish, and spread out to form even layer. Sprinkle with cheeses.
In medium bowl, whisk baking mix, milk, whole egg, and egg whites. Pour this batter over cheese-topped mixture. Batter may be runny but will cook through. Sprinkle additional oregano and crushed red pepper, if desired.
Bake 30 minutes or until top is golden-brown and knife inserted in center of crust comes out clean.
Let cool for 5 minutes, then cut into 6 pieces and serve.

Pumpkin Pancakes

Pumpkin Pancakes

(Makes about 10 pancakes)

• 3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 1 cup milk
• 1/3 cup pumpkin puree
• 3 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 large egg

Directions:

Whisk dry ingredients together in medium bowl. In another medium bowl, combine wet ingredients and mix well. Whisk the wet ingredients into dry mix until just combined. Do not overmix. Let sit for 2-3 minutes. Using ladle or 1/3 measuring cup, pour batter onto hot griddle or pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until bubbles form. Flip and cook other side for 1-2 minutes.

Alyssa’s Famous Pancakes

• 1 cup all-purpose flour (or a mix of white and whole-wheat flour)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup of milk
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Optional:

• 1-2 tablespoons peanut butter
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 1 ripe banana, mashed
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots, zucchini, or other vegetables
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (for an indulgent night)

1. Combine dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Make a well in the center and add wet ingredients. Mix until smooth. Stir in any additional mix-ins.
2. Heat nonstick pan over medium-low heat. Spray with cooking spray or lightly grease with butter. Spoon about 1/4-1/3 cup of batter into pan, depending on size you prefer, and allow to cook for a couple of minutes without touching. When the top of the pancake begins to bubble, flip pancake. Cook a couple of more minutes until lightly golden. Serve with syrup or any other topping you like.

SERVES 4.