Pumpkin Pancakes

So I've been busy the last few months which is why you haven't seen a post on here for a while.  In between school, volunteering and teaching, I've still managed to experiment with a few recipes but haven't had a chance to post.  Now that I'm on winter break and Christmas is right around the corner, I thought I'd share my healthier version of pumpkin pancakes.

Using pumpkin puree adds a healthy dose of vitamin A and fiber while olive oil and pecans add heart healthy omega-3's.  Not only are they good for, but these pancakes also taste good due to hints of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves.  When topping these pancakes with maple syrup, make sure to choose Grade A maple syrup to increase your mineral content (maple syrup has significant amounts of manganese - good for bones, potassium and calcium) but avoid those with high fructose corn syrup.

Pumpkin Pancakes

Makes 10 pancakes

Ingredients

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup oat flour (I ground up some oats in a food processor to make the flour)

3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1 Tablespoon + 2 tsp brown sugar

1 cup nonfat milk

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

chopped pecans

Directions

Sift flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, and cloves together in a large bowl.  Mix pumpkin, brown sugar, milk, oil, egg and vanilla extract in a separate bowl.   Combine the wet ingredients with the dry and mix well with a whisk.  If mixture is too thick, add a little water to achieve a pourable consistency.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium-high heat. Using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake, pour or scoop batter onto griddle. Cook until bubble starts to form on top and is lightly brown on the bottom.  Flip and cook an additional minute or two just until brown on both sides.  Serve hot and top with chopped pecans and maple syrup.

I stuffed mine with sliced bananas, for an extra potassium and fiber boost, and pumpkin cream cheese...the possibilities are endless.

Nutritional Facts (per 2 pancakes):  200 calories, 6 g fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, 32 g carbohydrate, 5 g fiber, 7 g sugar, 8 g protein