Pear Oatmeal Pancakes

For the past several months I have been feeling more disorganized than usual, and it has been bugging me. I don’t know why, and it has been very frustrating.

Perhaps it has been the change of seasons, but I have recently become aware of a change in me (in addition to muscle aches from my fall chores). Things seem to be more in focus, I seem to have a sharper sense of perception, and I am actually aware that I am functioning on a more productive level.

I’m scaring myself… ;)

Anyway, while we were working on the outside of the house, housekeeping inside has been sliding. When Jack offered to finish the last of the heat gun work on the front porch this morning I jumped at the chance to get started on cleaning. I dusted and vacuumed absolutely everything, although in previous years I also would have tackled oiling the antique furniture. Maybe sometime this winter… Anyway, a pile of “stuff” had been accumulating at the base of the attic stairs and I hauled that all up and did a little attic organizing. I also started to bring down the Halloween and fall decorations and place them here and there.

I have a friend who is a maniac about decorating for Halloween. She sends me photos and I tell her that she should open her home (for a fee!) to the public. It’s that good. I always had more fall and Thanksgiving décor, but she inspired me to purchase a few Halloween pieces. Not surprisingly, because of Spooky, my living room and dining rooms are now practically awash with black cats in every material, form, and size.

Before I started getting my mind back in gear, I was having difficulty remembering to buy certain kitchen staples. Like flour. When on earth have I ever run out of flour??? But I did, this past Saturday morning. I needed a certain amount to bake bread later in the day, which left me none with which to make our regular Saturday-morning pancakes. I looked in the pantry and found a half cup of pancake mix. I used to make my own pancake mix and that fell by the wayside several months ago. Perhaps I will start this again now that my brain is working more efficiently again.

Anyway, one-half cup of pancake mix does not make enough for two adults. I looked through my cupboards and decided to make oat flour by pureeing rolled oats in the food processor. Then, what the heck, I’ll just add some oat bran and chopped pears and nutmeg. Pear Oatmeal Pancakes were created.

Jack walked into the kitchen, sat at the table, and asked “what kind of pancakes are we having?”. I replied, and he then gave a rather odd smile. “Yay. More fiber.” Some day I shall make him pancakes from all white flour, filled with melted butter, and they will rise nicely and be very fluffy as a result. But not on that particular day.

I didn’t tell him just how much oatmeal and oat bran were in these, though. I made the pancakes, and placed the plates on the table. He spread “butter” on his (actually Brummel & Brown spread with yogurt), because he isn’t a syrup guy (poor man...). I drizzled maple syrup on mine. We dug in and were both very pleasantly surprised.

Jack said that they tasted like oatmeal but even better, and that the pears added a nice flavor (and moisture). I liked them, too, very much. In fact, this will be a regular recipe on my rotation. They did have a grainy texture, but neither of us minded that. The addition of toasted walnuts really brought everything together.

Now, the total fat in these pancakes is a bit on the high side for a “healthy” serving, but check out the saturated fat (a mere 3g) and monosaturated (11g of that “good” fat). Also, 11 grams of fiber is pretty darn good as well.

* Exported from MasterCook *

Pear Oatmeal Pancakes\

Recipe By: Vicci

Servings: 2

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

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1 1/4 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup pancake mix

1/3 cup oat bran

1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cup lowfat buttermilk

2 tablespoons canola oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 medium pear -- chopped; about 2/3 cup

2 tablespoons chopped walnuts – toasted (optional)

In a food processor or blender, process the rolled oats until they turn into a fine powder. Pour into a large bowl, and then stir in the remaining ingredients (pancake mix through nutmeg). Set aside.

In a smaller bowl, mix the buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Pour this into the dry mix and mix gently until all ingredients are moistened, then set the bowl aside for 15 minutes for the oat bran to soften. The mixture may look too loose, but it will firm up as the oat bran absorbs the liquid. Fold in the chopped pear and nuts.

Cook on a preheated grill until light brown, then flip and finish cooking.

Yield:

5 5" pancakes

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Per serving: 663 Calories (kcal); 23g Total Fat (3g saturated, 11g monosaturated, 9g polyunsaturated); (33% calories from fat); 20g Protein; 95g Carbohydrate; 12mg Cholesterol; 1024mg Sodium

Food Exchanges: 4 1/2 Grain (Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 1 Fruit; 4 1/2 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates

And that bacon… Kutztown Turkey Bacon, a mere 1g fat per slice. It does taste more like Canadian bacon to me, but it’s very good. Mmmmmmmmmmm.