Awesome Oat Pancakes

We wrapped out our Breakfast Boot camp a couple of weeks ago and we can enthusiastically say it was a huge success! Thanks to all the participants who joined the challenge.

We heard from many of you via facebook and email who dug themselves out of a breakfast rut, learned new strategies to keep lasting energy all morning, and upgraded their nutrition in general with delicious nutrient-packed new recipes.

Though there were lots of favorites, one of the most popular recipes was our Awesome Oat Pancakes. They had universal appeal to husbands AND kids alike. One of the best things about this recipe is that the leftovers (if there are any), can be heated in the toaster and spread with your choice of toppings.

The issue with most pancakes is that they are typically devoid of solid nutrition. Made from mostly bleached white flour, they throw in a few B vitamins for good measure along with a pinch of salt and sugar.

For example, here is the ingredient list on the Bisquick original mix: Enriched Flour Bleached (wheat flour, niacin, iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), Partially Hydrogenated Soybean and/or Cottonseed Oil, Leavening (baking soda, sodium aluminum phosphate, monocalcium phosphate), Dextrose, Salt.

Think you are doing better with a whole wheat variety? Many use some whole wheat but then a good chunk of processed flours as well: INGREDIENTS: whole wheat flour, enriched bleached flour, leavening, brown sugar, sugar, dried molasses, salt, wheat germ, hydroxylated soy lecithin, soy flour. 

Though there are a couple of decent packaged mixes you can find (like Bob’s Red Mill), you may still have to be wary of the wheat or soy if that is an issue for you. And Bob’s gluten free brand has a fair amount of refined ingredients (potato starch, tapioca flour), and non organic corn which could have GMO’s. For packaged brands, Simple Mills tops our list.