Honey Pancakes

I've never much cared for pancakes. They were always too cakey and dry. I had to pour so much syrup on them to make them edible I entered the dreaded sugar coma by the time I was finished. And talk about calories! Ugh, I don't even want to think about it. This recipe was inspired by one using almond meal. Since nuts are out of the question, I had to improvise. These pancakes are slightly sweet and not dry at all. My BF doesn't much care for pancakes but he'll eat them any time I make them. It's a great way to get your oatmeal without even noticing. For a Paleo option, see below. Makes 13-15 pancakes depending on the size.

Ingredients:
1 cup oats
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/3 cup egg whites (from carton)
1/4 cup honey (or agave nectar)
2/3 to 1 cup milk of choice (I use plain, unsweetened soy)

Directions:
Put oats in a blender and process on the highest speed until you get a fine powder. Dump into a bowl. If necessary, tap the sides of the blender to get the oats out. Add coconut flour and salt and whisk until combined.

Add egg whites, honey and about 1/2 cup milk. The amount of milk will vary greatly depending on the type you are using (almond will require less than soy, for example). Whisk together until completely combined, adding more milk if necessary. Let the batter sit while you clean out your blender and preheat a skillet over medium- to medium-high heat. Coconut flour absorbs a lot of liquid, so it will thicken up too much if you skip this step.

When your blender is clean and skillet heated, check the batter. You want it pourable, but not too thin. Add a little more milk if necessary. Coat your skillet with cooking spray, and pour a couple of tablespoons of batter for each pancake. We're going for silver dollar size here - if you make the IHOP size they won't cook properly. These need to cook slightly longer than flour-based pancakes. When slightly dry around the edges flip and continue cooking. Duh. I doubt I need to tell you how to make pancakes.

Keep warm until the whole batch is cooked. You can use maple syrup if you like, but why? For some fruity goodness, put a cup to a cup and a half of frozen fruit in a small sauce pan. Cook, stirring frequently, until fruit is no longer frozen. Raspberries are our favorite, but blueberries, strawberries or peaches are delicious, too. Add some agave, honey or powdered sugar to sweeten, if desired. Spoon fruit over pancakes. If you want your fruit a little thicker, combine a small amount of arrowroot powder or corn starch with just enough cold water to mix, and pour into fruit. Simmer and stir for a minute or two until desired consistency is reached.

Make it Paleo! Substitute oats with almond flour or sunflower seed meal and use almond or coconut milk. If you don't like cooking spray, you can use coconut oil to grease the skillet.