I made wheat germ pancakes on a whim one morning when on a quest for something healthy, hearty and sweet for breakfast. These pancakes are super healthy and taste sweet and slightly crunchy. The key to a slight crunch is placing the already cooked pancakes in the oven on a very low temperature while you are continuing to flip the remainder of the the ones on the stove. They are full of fiber and moist (because of the buttermilk). The recipe below is perfect for a family of four but can easily be doubled to feed more.
Kid Friendly Tips:
- Teach your little one all about the goodness of healthy ingredients such as wheat germ, whole wheat flour and low fat buttermilk.
- Have your children pick a fruit to add to their pancakes such as apple or banana. Make them into silly shapes using cookie cutters or have your child decorate each pancake (e.g., raisins for eyes, half of a grape for a nose, a piece of banana for a mouth).
- Work on sequencing and math with measuring and have your child recall information and answer “wh” questions as you are making the pancakes.
- Have your child close her eyes, smell a spice and then guess what it is. Try the same thing with taste and see if she can guess. Take turns and make it into a fun game (just don’t try it with the raw egg!).
- Describe the taste and smell with your little one (e.g. sweet, salty, etc).
According to Allison Topilow MS, RD, CDN, nutrition consultant, these whole grain pancakes are filled with fiber from the whole wheat flour and wheat germ. The fruit also contains fiber as well as antioxidants, while adding natural sweetness. You will get some protein from the egg and buttermilk. Adding a side of low-fat dairy (yogurt, cottage cheese or a glass of milk) or topping with peanut butter or crushed nuts will increase the protein content of this delicious breakfast. The combination of nutrients will leave you feeling satisfied until lunch!
Ingredients
3/4 cup of whole wheat flour
1/3 to 1/2 cup of toasted wheat germ
3 tablespoons of light brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon of baking powder
3/4 teaspoon of baking soda
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of ground all spice
1 cup of low fat buttermilk
1 egg
3 tbsp of canola oil
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon of maple extract
Preparation
1. Mix flour through all spice in a bowl with a whisk.
2. In another bowl mix buttermilk, egg, oil and extracts with a whisk.
3. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients until moistened.
4. Add batter to non stick pan. Flip until golden brown on each side.
5. Serve with maple syrup, jam, apple butter and/or fresh fruit. Try peanut or soy nut butter for a creamy topping. I eat them plain because the taste is so good!
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Becca Eisenberg is a certified speech language pathologist and mom of two.Through her own personal challenges at mealtime with her two young children she ventured on creating a website to help parents facilitate language and make mealtime fun. Her website gravitybread.com focuses on facilitating and encouraging language with fun and easy recipes, educational books and recommended toys and apps.
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