Homemade Whole Grain Pancake Mix

Yield: 10 cups dry mix; a batch using 1 cup of the mix will make about 10 (3 1/2-inch) pancakes.
Cooking time: 3 – 5 minutes

3 ½ cups (12 ¼ oz) old-fashioned rolled oats
4 cups (1 pound) white whole wheat flour
1 cup (4 ¼ oz) unbleached all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons (1 ¼ ounces) sugar
3 tablespoons (1 ½ ounces) baking powder
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon baking soda
¾ cup (5 ¼ ounces) vegetable oil


TO MAKE THE MIX: Grind the oats in a food processor until they’re chopped fine but not a powder. Put the ground oats, flours and the remaining dry ingredients into the bowl of a mixer with a paddle. Mix on slow speed, and drizzle the vegetable oil into the bowl slowly while the mixer is running. When all the oil has been added, stop the mixer and squeeze a clump of ix in your hand. If it holds together, it’s just right. If it won’t hold together, stir in 1 table spoon of oil at a time until the consistency is correct. Store in an airtight container indefinitely in the freezer.

TO MAKE THE PANCAKES: Whisk together 1 cup of mix, 1 cup buttermilk ( or you may use ½ cup plain yogurt plus ½ cup milk), 1 tablespoon orange juice and 1 large egg. Don’t worry if the batter seems thin at first: the whole grains will soak up the liquid, and the mixture will thicken as it stands. Let the batter stand for at least 15 minutes before cooking.

Heat a nonstick griddle if you have one, or a heavy skillet,, preferably cast iron. If your surface is not nonstick, brush it lightly with vegetable oil. When the surface of your pan is hot enough that a drop of water sputters across it, give the pan a quick swipe with a paper towel to remove excess oil and spoon the batter onto the hot surface, ¼ -cupful at a time. After 3 to 4 minutes, when the surface of the cake is no longer shiny and small bubbles are beginning to form around the edges, it’s time to flip the cake. Cook other side until it’s browned, 1 to 2 minutes more and serve immediately, or keep warm in a 200 degree F oven while you finish cooking the rest of the cakes.

NUTRITION INFORMATION PER SERVING: (2 pancakes, 86 grams) 16 grams whole grains, 139 calories, 6g fat, 6g protein, 16 g complex carbohydrates, 1g sugar, 2 g dietary fiber, 44mg cholesterol, 254 mg sodium, 155 mg potassium, 17RE vitamin A, 1mg vitamin C, 1mg iron, 67 mg calcium, 133 mg calcium, 133 mg phosphorus.