Whole Wheat Pancakes with Apple Sauce

 

There was a time when I used to make pancakes using ready made mixes. Wouldn't have imagined making them from scratch! And now I am so used to making them from scratch that I cannot stop experimenting :D How times change. No wonder they say life itself is a learning experience. As a cook, I have changed so much over the past few years - from somebody who was totally dependent on recipes I am gradually evolving by testing my own instincts and creating new recipes. 

Have posted recipes for pancakes with banana, strawberry, chocolate and now one more to my kitty - apples. These pancakes are made from whole wheat (no maida) and oatmeal which gives them a very light and soft texture. Topped with fresh apple sauce and generous drizzle of honey, these are great for breakfast or as a snack. Delicious and healthy - that is always a wonderful combination, is it not :)

Before we go on to the recipe, why not take a look at the health benefits of eating apples (quoting from Huffpost Healthy Living):

• Good source of immune-boosting vitamin C (providing 14 percent of the daily value).
• Apples satisfy hunger for few calories so it's not surprising that they can be part of a healthy diet that promotes weight loss.
• Promoting heart health.
• People who eat apples may be less likely to suffer from metabolic syndrome.
• Eating an apple before you work out may boost your exercise endurance. Apples deliver an antioxidant called quercetin, which aids endurance by making oxygen more available to the lungs.

Apple Pancakes: Recipe

Ingredients (makes about 6 to 8 med size pancakes): 

For Pancakes:

• Whole wheat flour - 1 cup
• Instant Oats powdered - 1/2 cup
• Flaxseed - 2 tsp powdered
• Baking powder - 1 tsp
• Baking soda - 1/4 tsp
• Brown sugar - 1tsp (I like it mildly sweet; the apple sauce will give it more sweetness)
• Milk -  1 to 1.5 cup (or more as required)
• Yoghurt - 2 tbsp

For Apple Sauce:

• Fresh red apples - 2 peeled, cored and diced
• Brown sugar-  2 to 3 tbsp
• Lemon juice - about 1/2 a lemon
• Cinnamon powder - 3/4 tsp
• Water - very little, less than 1/4 cup
  

Method:

1. First prepare the apple sauce: Add the diced apples, lemon juice, sugar and bit of water into a pan and simmer for few minutes till the apples are nicely soft. Set aside.
2. For the pancakes: Mix all the dry ingredients - flour,oatmeal, flax seed,baking powder,baking soda, sugar; with a wire whisk to blend everything together. Remove any lumps.
3. Add the yoghurt followed by the milk - add it gradually and mix well to form a batter with slightly thick consistency (should not be too runny or very thick. If the batter tends to thicken as it sits, you can adjust the consistency by adding more milk to it.)
4. Heat a non stick pan and rub a cube of butter on the surface to grease it slightly.
5. Scoop a ladle of the batter and pour it into the centre of the pan. If the consistency is right the batter should spread slightly to form a medium sized pancake.
6. When bubbles start appearing on top, flip it and let the other side cook. Both the sides should be golden brown (take care to cook the pancakes on a low flame so that it cooks well and does not burn).
7. Serve it hot with apple sauce and honey. 

Linking this to Srivalli’s Kids Delight announcement hosted by Nupur: