Healthy Fluffy Wholewheat Pancakes for Baby - Quick Make Ahead

Healthy Fluffy Wholewheat Pancakes for Baby - Make Ahead

You can mix these up just before heading to bed...OR during commercial breaks after the baby has gone to sleep.

Lil T loves his fruit.  He wakes up asking for a Banana.  He used to love Wholewheat Bread but he's been off it for a month or so.  Randomly one day, he asked for it and didn't eat it.  After than he stopped asking for it.  So what can I do to make sure he gets some fibre and grain in the morning?  Well, obviously, as most parents do, he gets a handful of Oaty O's (the organic less sugary version of Cheerios. they're also a bit crunchier so I'm hoping it will help him cut his teeth).  But really that doesn't seem like a tasty meal to me even though he loves them.

He likes Pancakes but we have thus far reserved them for weekends.  Even then it's been a bit of a hassel for D who wakes up on weekends with him.  Getting the flour out and cooking them and cooling them off.  Yeah, T doesn't have that kind of patience but he likes watching D cook so it stretches him out a bit as he eats some Blueberries.  So I thought if I could at least cut out the trouble mixing then, it would be a tad easier.  I'm not sure about Pancakes mixed ahead because I worry that the Baking Powder will have fizzled out while sitting and they'll be tough and chewy.  Luckily most Baking Powders are double acting nowadays, one hit for Salt Water and another with Heat.  I made a few adjustments on my favourity Fluffiest Wholewheat Pancakes to make sure that the overnight sit in the refridgerator in batter form would still yield tender and fluffy Pancakes.

Heat them up for 10 s in the microwave the next day or in the toaster oven.  They freeze well.

Healthy Fluffy Wholewheat Pancakes - Make Ahead

DRY
3/4 c Wholewheat Flour (organic if you have it)
1/4 c Cake Flour (less gluten)
3/4 t Salt
3/4 t  Baking Powder + pinch (aka 1/8 t)
1/4 t Baking Soda + pinch
1/4 t Cinnamon (optional)

WET
1 c Milk
1 large Egg
1 T Canola/Vegetable Oil
1 T Water

COOKING
Butter or Canola Oil
1 c Fruit of choice

(The instructions are in order but in tasks as I did them during commercial breaks of evening TV.)

Take out all the ingredients except the Milk and put them on the counter.

In a large bowl or Tupperware bowl with lid, mix the DRY together with a fork.  Get the lumps of the Cake Flour out.  You could sift if you want but remember this is for busy TIRED parents just before bedtime. Put all your DRY stuff away.

In a large measuring cup (2 cupper) mix the WET.  With the same fork or small whisk.  (note, I added the Salt to the DRY instead of the WET, this time.  I am trying to delay BP activation) Beat throughly so Egg is broken down.

Pour the WET into the DRY.  Temper your enthusiasm here.  Barely mix the batter.  It will sit over night so they lumps will get absorbed then and during cooking.  I've helped out by using Cake flour but with all the soaking, you do not want to over work the Flour.  If it helps. Stir it 10-13 times MAX.   What that means is scooping from the middle down to the side and swooping, 10-13 times.  GENTLY.  THEN put the fork down! It should just be mixed so there are not large mountaint of flour.  Cover and refridgerate.

The next morning heat a non stick pan on Medium heat.  Melt some butter or a touch of Canola oil.  Scoop 1/4 c - 1/4 c of Batter into the pan.  Sprinkle some Blueberries in or sliced Banana. We made them the size of teacup saucers for T.  When the top looks 'matte' and not glossy wet and is covered in bubbles, flip.  It'll be a few minutes per side.

Yielded 10 small pancakes.  T ate two with more fruit!


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