Whole Grain Chocolate Pancakes

Okay, I'm starting to feel sincerely guilty about the fact that it seems we have only been eating breakfast foods and chocolate (sometimes apparently in combination) around here. Clearly we have intense issues, and low moral characters, and laziness, and grain addictions (which are woefully out of style right now).

I'd like to say that it's not really so, that we spend lots of time eating normal meals with meat, and that we are not completely lazy or grain addicted. And then I realize that I'm planning to make no-rise cinnamon rolls tonight for dinner. (Whole grain! With ricotta cheese and buttermilk! And blueberry (fresh, local) filling! It's for my kids; they're so picky; I swear this is the reason!) Okay, fine, so maybe you're not buying any of these excuses. But before you stalk off to the library to check out the latest book on Paleo dieting, let me say this, I do have other recipes and I promise that someday I will get them to you. Okay, someday soon--how's that. I have a butt kicking (and super easy) pasta salad recipe that needs sharing and I just made some chicken tikka masala worthy of your love. And I have a zucchini soup ready to eat up some of your surplus. But I forgot to take pictures of 2 of these items (is that a laziness issue or a low moral fiber issue--I'll get back to you). So today you're getting some chocolate pancakes. They're good too. And moral in their own way. The cocoa adds a richness to the overall product that demands less sugary syrup to make it good. And they're awesome with homemade whipped cream. Oh, wait, you probably don't count that as a virtue, do you (although really you should). They're quick and easy on a hot summer day--perfect for a late breakfast with your kids or a lazy dinner to share with whomever your lazy dinners are shared. I liked mine best with a bit of whipped cream and some sliced bananas. As long as you've left the low-fat '80s and not quite stepped into the gluten-free '10s, there's plenty of love for a meal like that.

Whole Grain Chocolate Pancakes
makes 6-8
Prep and cook time: 15 minutes
Cost: $.52
(flour: .20, cocoa: .10, milk: .20, other stuff: .02)

1 C whole wheat flour (I used white whole wheat)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
good dash salt
3 Tbsp cocoa
1 1/4 C milk
2 Tbsp oil

Combine dry ingredients. Whisk in milk and oil. (If this is too thick for your liking add a wee bit more milk.)

Pour onto a medium hot skillet that has been greased. Cook until bottoms are cooked (they'll have a bit of a golden edge even though they're dark) and flip, cooking another minute or so until cooked through.

You can serve with syrup, but I love these with a glop of homemade whipped cream and a sprinkle of fruit.

Tip: Making a big batch? Keep your pancakes warm on a cookie sheet in an oven set at 200 degrees.

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Linked to Sweets for a Saturday