Basic Yogurt Pancakes

Ingredients

• •2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
• •1½ teaspoons baking powder
• •1 teaspoon baking soda
• •2 tablespoons ground flaxseeds
• •1½ cups low-fat yogurt
• •1¼ cups low-fat milk
• •2 tablespoons nonhydrogenated margarine
• •¼ cup maple syrup
• •¼ cup fruit preserves
• •¼ cup fruit sauce

Cooking Instructions

1. 1.

   1. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and flaxseeds, if using, in a mixing bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in the yogurt and milk. Stir with a whisk until the batter is just smooth; it should have an easy-to-pour consistency, but not too thin. Add more milk as needed. Don't overbeat.

   5 min

2. 2.

   2. Heat a nonstick griddle or a large nonstick skillet that has been lightly coated with some of the margarine. Ladle on the batter to form 3- to 4-inch pancakes. Cook on both sides over medium heat until golden brown. Serve hot with maple syrup.

   15 min

3. 3.

   Multigrain: Substitute 1/2 to 3/4 cup of the flour with another type of flour such as spelt, kamut, buckwheat, cornmeal, or rye, or use a combination of two different types of flour equaling 1/2 to 3/4 cup.

4. 4.

   Fruity pancakes: Add a cup or so of thinly sliced fruits-one kind or a combination-to the batter. Try pears, peaches, nectarines, strawberries, wild blueberries, or other berries.

5. 5.

   Cinnamon-apple pancakes: Add 1 heaping cup very thinly sliced, peeled apple (any soft cooking variety such as Cortland, McIntosh, or Golden Delicious) and ground cinnamon to taste to the batter.

6. 6.

   Banana-nut: Add 1 medium thinly sliced banana, 1/4 to 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans, and a pinch of ground nutmeg to the batter.