Healthy Holiday Pancakes

by Judy Weaver
(Sahuarita, Arizona, USA)

These Wheat Barley Pancakes with Cranberry Syrup are perfect for a healthy Christmas breakfast.

A woman at my church gave me this recipe when I was first married. My kids loved them so much they wanted to make them every day. Our family likes to buy bulk foods, and try out different grains. I think it is great that the kids know where flour comes from. We've experimented and changed the recipe by adding other grains like corn, barley, millet, rice, buckwheat, and kamut.

We like this version. The syrup came about this Thanksgiving when I discovered after making pancakes that we were out of syrup, with little sugar in the house. My husband pulled out a can of cranberry sauce and said, "How about this?" We loved the result. This really is easy. Ingredients are easy to find in the bulk section of health food stores and some larger grocery stores.

Pancakes:

Put the first three ingredients in the blender and then blend on high for 2 minutes.
2/3 cup whole wheat kernals
1/3 cup whole barley (or pearled barley)
1 cup milk

Then add:
1/2 cup milk

Blend on high for 2 more minutes. Then add:
2 eggs
1 Tablespoon sugar or honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup oil

Blend on high for 2 more minutes. Finally add:
1 Tablespoon baking powder

Blend for a very brief time as the batter will begin to rise.

Fry on griddle. It makes enough for a small family of four.

Syrup:

1 can of jellied cranberry sauce
1 cup water
½ cup sugar

Place all ingredients in a small sauce pan. Mash cranberry sauce, and mix with a whisk. Heat on high until it just starts to bubble, keep whisking from time to time. Serve warm on top of pancakes.

*Add whip cream and top with chopped pecans for fun.