This recipe’s thick raspberry syrup adds antioxidants to an already healthy set of pancakes. Photograph by Ali Eaves.
Who doesn’t love pancakes on a weekend morning? We certainly do—but they always feel like an indulgence. So we were thrilled that dietitian Paulette Thompson created a recipe for pancakes that are full of fiber, healthy fats, and wholesome goodness. Best of all, their nutty flavor paired with a tangy raspberry sauce may be even better than the Bisquick-and-maple-syrup combo you’re used to.
Made with whole wheat flour and oatmeal, these pancakes are particularly good for heart health. “The oats have soluble fiber, which helps reduce your risk of heart disease,” Thompson says. And since they’re homemade, they’re much lower in sodium: 190 milligrams, compared with 580 milligrams in Kellogg’s buttermilk mix.
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Adding the nuts, which contain magnesium and potassium, also helps regulate blood pressure, Thompson says. A diet that reduces sodium and increases magnesium, potassium, and calcium, helps lower blood pressure significantly, she explains.
The raspberry sauce is also full of antioxidants, and blending them instead of cooking them down keeps the fiber intact.
“It really is a healthy meal all by itself,” Thompson says, “but you can up the ante by serving it with some yogurt, a glass of milk, and some kind of lean protein, like turkey bacon.”
Whole-Grain Oatmeal Pancakes
Yield: 14 pancakes
Nutrition information per serving (2 pancakes): 290 calories, 14 grams total fat, 1.5 grams saturated fat, less than 5 milligrams cholesterol, 32 grams carbohydrate, 5 grams fiber, 5 grams protein, 190 milligrams sodium, 240 milligrams calcium, 190 milligrams potassium, 18 milligrams magnesium.
Ingredients:
1¾ cup fat-free milk
1 tablespoon sugar
1½ cup oats (steel-cut, quick, or old-fashioned)
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ cup egg substitute (or 4 egg whites)
¼ cup canola oil
2/3 cup finely chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts, or hazelnuts)
1) In a small bowl, mix milk and sugar.
2) Add oatmeal, and stir well to coat. Set aside.
3) In another bowl, mix together flour and baking powder, then add oat mixture.
4) Add egg substitute and 3 tablespoons of oil. Stir. Stir in chopped nuts.
5) In a large skillet, heat rest of oil over medium-high heat. Pour batter in ¼-cup portions into skillet. When pancakes have a bubbly surface and have just begun to dry around the edges, flip to cook the other side. Serve immediately.
Raspberry Sauce
Yield: About 1 cup, or 7 servings
Nutrition information per serving: 50 calories, 13 grams carbohydrate, 1.5 grams fiber, 0.5 grams protein, 0 fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium.
Ingredients:
12 ounces frozen unsweetened raspberries, thawed
¼ cup sugar, or to taste
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1) Purée raspberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a blender.
2) Pass purée through a fine sieve set over a bowl.
Paulette Thompson, MS, RD, is a public health nutritionist for the DC government and the owner of a nutrition education and counseling services business in Cheverly.
