Pancake Breakfast

I love pancakes for breakfast. I mean, they're full of delicious things like flour, eggs, and oil...and are topped with sticky sweet syrup. What's not to like? Well, now that I'm seriously counting calories and trying to eat healthier, pancakes have become a no no. But I don't really like taking no for an answer so I've been scouring the web for diet-friendly pancake recipes.

This morning I found a real winner from the blog, Skinny Taste. In the words of the author, these pancakes are "healthy, low fat, whole wheat pancakes that are light and fluffy." They're a cinch to make, and I had all the ingredients in my kitchen so it didn't require any special trips to the store. And best of all, they have more protein and fiber than your average pancake so left me feeling full. 

Feeling full is like the Holy Grail of dieting. I don't even really care if things taste all that great anymore--I just want to feel full! Luckily, these pancakes had a great rich flavor thanks to the cinnamon, vanilla, and wheat flour. 

As pictured, this entire breakfast was only 337 calories! 3 pancakes, a cup of sliced strawberries, and 1/4 cup of sugar free pancake syrup (I like Maple Grove Farms--available at Safeway). 

Here's the recipe; the author's serving size is 2 pancakes (171 calories), but see above re: feeling full. I just have to have a little more. Thank goodness these pancakes are low calorie enough for me to splurge on an extra pancake

Happy breakfast!

Whole Wheat Pancakes from Skinny Taste 

Servings: 7 (14 pancakes total)  Size: 2 pancakes  • Old Points: 3 pts • Points+: 4 pts
Calories: 171.7 • Fat: 2.1 g • Carbs: 31.5 g • Fiber: 4.9 g • Protein: 8.9 g • Sugar:2.5 g
Sodium: 561.4 g 

Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 4 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups + 2 tbsp fat free milk
• 2 tsp vanilla
• cooking spray

Directions:

Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl. Add wet ingredients to the mixing bowl and mix well with a spoon until there are no more dry spots; don't over-mix.

Heat a large skillet on medium heat. Lightly spray oil to coat and pour 1/4 cup of pancake batter. When the pancake starts to bubble, you may add fruit if you wish. When the bubbles settle and the edges begin to set, flip the pancakes. Repeat with the remainder of the batter. 

Note from Maggie: I cooked the pancakes on each side for about a minute--but I like them brown and crispy. You would be fine with cooking them 45-50 seconds per side.