My daughter asked me to make 4th of July pancakes.  This is my healthy version.  I used the fresh raspberries and blueberries from the farm yesterday.  With the addition of whole wheat flour and flax seed, these babies didn’t blow my very hot, steamy run this morning.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon of whole wheat flour
3/4 cup of all purpose flour
3 tablespoons of sugar
1 tablespoon of baking powder
1 tablespoon flax seed meal
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cup of almond milk
1/2 stick of butter, melted
2 eggs
1 tsp of vanilla extract
1 cup of berries (mixed blue/raspberries or whatever you have on hand)

Directions:

In your stand mixer, paddle attached, blend the flours, sugar, powder, flax seed and salt.  In a separate bowl, whisk milk, butter, eggs and vanilla.  Then gradually add the wet mixture to the dry and blend.  By hand, gently blend in the berries.

In your skillet over medium flame, add a pat of butter, let melt and then ladle some batter in to the hot pan.  Flip when golden brown on one side (around 2 minutes).

— Knead to Cook

I won’t lie… I adore strawberry season!  We grow them and we still can’t get enough.  I run to pick or just buy strawberries from the farm at least 4 times a week.  Seriously, we have a problem  When I got home from my run this morning I thought of strawberry shortcake and why not turn that into a pancake?!  How bad could that be.  YES – it turned out fabulously and I made a Chobani banana sauce for the top to enhance these sweet pancakes even more.  The best part… they are very healthy so I wouldn’t blow the efforts of my very hot, sweaty run.  Can’t wait for you to try these!!

Ingredients:

3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons of whole wheat flour
3/4 cup of all-purpose unbleached flour
3 tablespoons of sugar (I used Truvia for way less calories)
2 tablespoons of ground flax seed meal
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups of milk, almond milk or whatever type you have on hand
1/2 stick of melted butter
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup of sliced strawberries (fresh)

Directions:

Whisk together the flours, sugar, powder, flax seed and salt.  Then in my large measuring cup I whisk together the milk, melted butter, eggs and vanilla.  Add the liquid mixture to the dry and blend well.  Then add the strawberry and mix until incorporated.

Ladle into hot griddle (sprayed with non stick spray) and flip and cook until golden on each side.

 

Sauce:

1 -6 ounce container of strawberry banana Chobani
2 large ripe bananas
10 strawberries, washed and hulled
1/4 cup of milk

Blend this together with a hand immersion blender.  Pour on top of the pancakes in lieu of syrup  Enjoy!

— Knead to Cook

 

I prepared these last night for my daughter’s birthday breakfast this morning.  They were very well received!  Ooey gooey yumminess is the way to kick off your birthday, or any special day, in my opinion.

Dough recipe:

1 1/3 c + 1 tablespoon warm water
2 teaspoons of yeast
2 tablespoons of white sugar
4 cups of bread flour (I used King Arthur’s)
Zest from one large orange
3/4 teaspoon of kosher salt
4 tablespoons of butter or butter substitute (I can’t believe it’s not butter etc.)

Directions for the dough:

In a small bowl combine the warm (not hot) water with the yeast and sugar and let stand for 6 minutes.  The mixture should foam up, if it doesn’t your yeast has gone bad or the water was too hot and killed it.  Repeat if necessary.

In a separate bowl (in your stand mixer), combine the flour, orange zest and salt.  Add the butter to the mixture.  When the yeast is ready, pour that into the flour mixture.  With the dough hook combine the ingredients (slowly to start or flour will fly everywhere).  Once incorporated, knead the dough with the dough hook for 10 minutes.  If the dough is super dry, add a teaspoon or less of water to it.  If it’s too wet, add a teaspoon of bread flour.  Place the dough in an oiled bowl and cover to rise for one hour.  Keep it in a warm location (I place mine in my microwave just be sure not to turn it on).  The dough should rise to double its size and spring back when you poke your finger into it.

Filling ingredients:

1/2 cup of white sugar
1 tablespoon of cinnamon
1/4 tsp of nutmeg
Zest of one orange
5 tablespoons of butter or butter substitute

Directions for filling:

Combine all of the ingredients (minus the butter) in a bowl.  Set aside until the dough is ready to roll out.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray your glass 13×9 pan with nonstick baking spray and set aside.

When the dough has risen to twice it’s size – flour your surface that you will roll your dough out on.  Roll out the dough to about a 10×14 size.  I then take the butter (softened) in my hand and rub it all over the dough, to the edges.  Then sprinkle the filling over the top of the butter, again, going right to the edges.  You will then start to roll one end tightly until the entire piece is rolled up into one large log.  Take a sharp knife and cut 1 1/4 inch pieces.  Lay into your prepared 13×9 pan.  Butt the spiral dough right up against one another.  If you have additional pieces, I just lay them on top of the first layer in a random fashion.

Set the rolls aside to rise one final time for about 20-25 minutes.  Then bake for 22-24 minutes.

Glaze ingredients:

1 cup of powdered sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
3 tablespoons of orange juice

Directions:

Whisk together and set aside.  Pour over warm rolls when removed from the oven.

Enjoy!

— Knead to Cook