Pancakes Without (as Much) Guilt

What makes a leisurely weekend for me? Clouds or rain, several good movies to watch and what most would call "comfort food". One of my favorites is a large stack of buttermilk pancakes, with melted butter and warm maple syrup. I need no eggs or breakfast meat to accompany. Though I am at an age where I need to watch what I eat, I don't want any substitutions either.

Yet, on most days when I am on the go but still somewhat sedentary in my work as it mostly involves sitting at a computer for seven to eight hours a day and start to get hungry around mid-morning. I've found that making a breakfast that is both filling and not so fattening is not that much of a challenge.

If you make pancakes from scratch, then changes can be made such as substituting whole eggs for egg whites, use butter substitute or no-cholesterol margarine, and use sunflower or canola oil to cook instead of butter. Diluting the milk or using non-fat (or skim) milk will cut calories. Also, a low calorie whipped topping can reduce the fat and calorie content.

One recipe that I use either as a topping or in the batter is my grandmother's apple sauce. Start with a about 2 cups of boiling water or apple juice and add 2-3 chopped apples. Once these are cooked down to softness, add raisins, half a teaspoon of cinnamon or allspice and let simmer. If you want to little more sweetness, mix in no more than two teaspoons of sugar (or brown sugar). Let stand for about ten minutes and use it to top pancakes instead of butter and syrup. The same can be done with your favorite berries and white grape juice.

Instead of using white flour, your favorite bran cereal or wheat germ can be finely ground and blended into the batter to create more filling pancakes. Since these cereals tend to be slightly sweet, you can eliminate the sugar that most traditional recipes call for.

One mistake I tend to make is filling my pan with too much oil. Only a small amount is needed to keep the cakes from sticking to the pan.

Another tip would be to set aside a small amount of syrup instead of dousing it over the whole stack. Some (like me) get exciting about seeing an entire stacked soaked in the liquid sugar. Pure maple syrup costs more than pancake syrup and is not as thick but is much sweeter. There are also baking mixes available for those watching their waistline.