Whole Wheat Banana Pecan Pancakes

My kids LOVE pancakes....and I mean love. In fact, with my husband traveling so much these days, I make pancakes quite often for dinner when I need something quick and easy. I guess that means I should make them every night. Don't we always need something quick and easy?

When I am feeling extra indulgent, I will make special pancake toppers. I macerate strawberries and cook up some apples with cinnamon and brown sugar. Of course, if you are going to have strawberries and apples, you better pull out the whip cream too. If you are going to do it, do it right!

This pancake recipe is one I stick to more often so I don't feel so stinking guilty. I love the whole grain flavor while the bananas and pecans push them over the top.

If you think your kids might rebel against such a healthy alternative, give 'em a fork to mush the bananas or a whisk to beat the egg whites. Kids are much more likely to partake of something "different" and enjoy it if they have helped prepare it!

Whole Wheat Banana Pecan Pancakes

adapted from Joy the Baker

1 1/4 C whole wheat flour

1/3 C cornmeal

1 Tb sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 eggs, separated

1/4 C canola oil

1 1/2 C buttermilk

1 ripe banana, mashed

1/4 C pecans, chopped

1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a small bowl, beat together the egg yolks, oil, and buttermilk. Pour wet mixture into the dry and mix until combined. Allow batter to sit for five minutes and add any additional buttermilk to thin the batter so it will gently fall from a spoon. Fold in banana and pecans.

2. In a small bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold into batter completely. Cook pancakes over medium heat.
**For the freezer, lay the cooled pancakes in a single layer on a cookie sheet.  Freeze until hard then place in a freezer bag.  To prepare, just pop them in a toaster!