Pecan pumpkin pancakes (you can feel good about eating!)

Pancakes and weight management--An oxymoron? Think again.

Did you think you were done eating pancakes, placing them on your list of forbidden foods for managing your weight? Time to rethink that. Pancakes, especially these pancakes, really satisfy, with their lovely fluffy texture and aromatic spice mix. And you can feel good about eating them. They are low in saturated fat and even have some fiber. They're a great source of Beta carotene (vitamin A) so if you or your kids aren't crazy for vegetables they're the perfect solution. So go ahead and try them, and tell me what you think!

Perfect Pumpkin Pancakes (with or without the pecans)


Makes 22-24 pancakes 
Serves 5-7 people (depending on their appetites)

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

½ cup whole wheat flour

¼ cup ground flax seed (aka flax meal)

3 Tbsps. Brown sugar

2 tsps. Baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. allspice

1 tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. powdered ginger

½ tsp salt

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1 ½ cups low fat milk (soy is an option)

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 large egg

2 Tbsps. oil

2 Tbsps. vinegar

pecans, optional

Butter, oil, or oil-spray to lightly coat the griddle or pan.

Mix all dry ingredients together (everything through ‘salt’.)

In a separate, large bowl, mix remaining ingredients—the wet stuff.

Combine the two mixtures, mixing just until the dry ingredients no longer appear.

Heat griddle, medium heat, coating lightly with butter, oil, or spray-butter. Personally, I like to use a small amount of butter—about 2 tsps. for the whole griddle, just at the start.

Once hot (a drop of water sizzling will confirm and works better than using your fingers!) add just under ¼ cup of batter to the pan for each pancake. After a few minutes (usually once pancakes begin to bubble) flip to cook the other side. The bubbling isn’t so visible on these pancakes, so give them a few minutes to start puffing up, and then flip.

Heat a mini size pitcher (see photo) with maple syrup. Microwaving for 10-15 seconds works fine. It will enhance the flavor of the syrup, and cause it to thin out, making it easy to both use just a small amount, or spill it all over your plate, if you’re not careful. 

You can double the recipe and let the leftovers cool. Then place in a ziploc bag and freeze. Microwave reheat for midweek breakfasts or afternoon snacks.

Enjoy!