I was never much on pancakes.  To me, they were fluffy, white, too sweet nothings that didn’t fill you up for long.  These pancakes, which are a modification of a Midwest Living recipe, are full of flavor.  My sons told me once that “they wouldn’t insult these pancakes by putting maple syrup on them”.  High praise indeed from maple syrup lovers.  The batter is a good deal thicker than ordinary pancake batter.  Lower your griddle temperature a bit and give them a little longer to cook.  As my husband says, “they’re worth the wait”.

Four Grain Blueberry Pancakes

In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients:

1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup regular rolled oats

1/4 cup  cornmeal (I like stone ground best)

1/4 cup wheat germ

2 Tbs ground flax meal

1 Tbs baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

8 Tbs powdered buttermilk

1/2 cup sliced almonds (optional)

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp fresh ground nutmeg

In large mixer bowl combine:

1 cup low fat milk

1 cup orange or grapefruit juice

2 tsp  sugar (raw, brown, or  demerara work well)

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

Have on hand one cup of fresh or thawed blueberries.  Start heating up your griddle.

After wet ingredients are will mixed, add dry ingredients as quickly as mixer can incorporate.  Then add blueberries and let mix just a few seconds more.  The mixture will be somewhat thick and will thicken the longer it stands.

Place 1/2 cup scoops on an oiled griddle and let cook until edges appear dry and bubbles pop. (Just like regular pancakes except these will take a little longer.)  Flip and cook other side.  You can keep cooked pancakes warm in the oven while you cook the rest, if your family will let you.  If your batter starts to get too thick, just add a little more milk.

We eat these straight from the grill “as is”,  if you have a real sweet tooth, I guess you can add syrup, but I highly recommend that you try them without first.  You may never go back.