Wheat-Oat Pancake Mix

My daughter asks for pancakes just about every other day, and since we just LOVE pancakes around here, this mix was a no-brainer. Especially since it's a whole grain mix. Now, I've made my fair share of pancakes over the years, so I can pretty much do it with my eyes closed in about 30 seconds flat! BUT, having a mix all ready to go, takes it down to about 15 seconds. Who can beat that? Now, I'm sure a bowl of cold cereal probably could, but how can you pass up a nice hot breakfast? Not I.

Even if you're not a morning person, throw together this mix ahead of time and you can still have a yummy, healthy hot breakfast in no time!

Wheat-Oat Pancake Mix
3 1/2 cups oats (rolled or quick is fine)
4 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 Tbsp sugar
3 Tbsp baking powder
1 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp. baking soda
3/4 cup oil*

To make the mix: Grind the oats in a food processor until they're chopped fine, but not a powder. Combine the oats, flours, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl, preferably an electric mixer. Mix on low speed, and drizzle the oil into the bowl slowly while the mixer is running. When all the oil has been added, stop the mixer and squeeze a clump of the mix in your hand; if it holds together, it's just right. If it won't hold together, stir in 1 tablespoon of oil at a time, until it does. Store indefinitely in an airtight container in the freezer. *(I have also left the oil out of the mix and just added 2 tablespoons for each cup of mix at the time I make the batter up. Either way works well.)

To make the pancakes: Whisk together 1 cup mix, 1 cup buttermilk (or other milk) and 1 large egg. Don't worry if the batter seems thin at first; it'll thicken as it stands. Let the batter stand while the griddle heats up.

Heat your griddle or pan till a drop of water sputters when you drop it on the surface (on my griddle it's about medium-high or 250 degrees F). Lightly grease, if necessary, and pour pancake batter by the 1/4-cupful onto the griddle. A muffin scoop works well here. Cook the pancakes till they're golden brown on the bottom, flip them over, and cook till golden brown on the other side.

We love to change up the batter every once in a while and add different mix-ins for variety. Here are some of our favorites:
1 large, ripe banana, smashed
1 cup pumpkin puree and 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (and chocolate chips sometimes too)
1 cup applesauce (or shredded apple), with cinnamon and nutmeg

Each batch makes about 8-10 pancakes or about 12-14 when you mix in fruit.


SOURCE: King Arthur Flour