Quick & Easy Whole Grain Pancake Mix

Like most of my generation, I grew up on Bisquick pancakes. Most of us had busy working moms, and convenience foods, like baking mixes, were a timesaver and a blessing. There wasn’t a concern back then about additives and preservatives, partially hydrogenated oils, and other un-pronounceable things you find on convenience food labels. I don’t fault my mom – or any of our moms – for going the convenience food route. But as I learn more and more about what’s in our 21st Century industrialized food supply, the more I step away from it. At the same time, I, too, am a working mom with a busy schedule, and the more I can find ways to incorporate homemade, chemical-free and preservative-free whole foods into our diet without spending hours in the kitchen, the better.

L is a pancake lover, and I like being able to whip up a quick pancake breakfast for her on a busy weekday morning, not just on Saturdays. So when I found a copy of Megan Gordon‘s brand-spanking new cookbook, Whole-Grain Mornings, at the used bookstore for just a few dollars, I snatched it up after a quick browse. It was more than worth it for the pancake mix recipe alone (we’ll talk about her toasted oatmeal, which has changed my life forever, another time). It’s a fabulous breakfast book overall, and I can’t wait to cook my way through it. If you’re a breakfast lover looking for delicious and healthy options, I encourage you to order a copy now.

E is not a fan of buckwheat, so I switched out the buckwheat flour in Megan’s recipe for white whole wheat. If you like buckwheat, by all means use it instead. Spelt flour adds a sweet nuttiness, and ground oats add healthy fiber without making the pancakes heavy. I mixed up a double batch and put it in one of these glass jars. One batch of mix makes four batches of batter, which in turn yields about eight 4-inch pancakes each. Pancake mix, from scratch! Joy in a jar!

The pancakes themselves blew me away – they’re the lightest, fluffiest whole grain pancakes I’ve ever made – and they don’t require the common step of whipping egg whites and folding them into the batter, which is sort of a pain. To one scoop of mix, you simply add one cup of milk or buttermilk (or a mixture of the two), and one egg. The baking powder and soda cause them to puff up in the pan like any good pancake (if you use buttermilk, they will raise even more). That’s all there is to it. L gobbles them up like there’s no tomorrow, which is an added bonus.

2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour

3/4 cup white whole wheat flour or buckwheat flour

1/2 cup spelt flour

3/4 cup oat flour, or rolled oats that have been finely ground in a blender or food processor

3 tablespoons natural cane sugar

2 tablespoons baking powder (I use aluminum-free)

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher or fine grain sea salt

In a large bowl, stir all ingredients together until fully combined. Store in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator.

*Note: if you use flour that has live wheat germ or spelt in it, you must store the mix in the refrigerator or freezer to prevent germination of the grain. I buy locally milled flour when I can, and the germ is always live. If you purchase your flours at a farmers market, check with the farmer about proper storage.

To make one batch of pancakes:

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, stir together 1 cup pancake mix, 1 cup milk or buttermilk (or half cup of each), and one large egg.

Drop mixture by 1/4 cupfuls onto a griddle or skillet greased with butter or coconut oil and placed over medium-high heat. Cook 2-3 minutes, flip with a spatula, and cook 2-3 minutes more, until both sides are browned and the center of the pancake is cooked through.

Serve with butter and maple syrup or honey.

Yields about eight 4-inch pancakes.

Here’s the printable recipe. Enjoy!