I don’t know about you, but I am all about the practical gifts. Besides the standard socks, Carl has bought me my stand mixer, waffle maker, pastry brushes and blender on various occasions over the past few years. These are some of my favourite gifts because I get to use them all the time, he likes to use them since they’re shiny and fun, and they make my life so much easier. This Christmas he bought me an electric griddle, one of those things I would never have bought for myself but which increased my productivity exponentially and is worth every bit of cupboard space it takes up.
Homemade naan can now be made in record time, French toast is all ready at the same time, and I could even cook burgers on it if the mood struck. But the main reason we bought it? PANCAKES.
I used to dislike pancakes, then I was terrible at cooking them, then Carl got good at cooking them and I learned to love them, and now, finally, more than a decade after this saga began, I have mastered cooking them and could eat pancakes every day with pleasure. Kristopher and Theo feel the same way, and we often lobby against Gemma and Carl’s bacon and egg vote on Sunday mornings. The first time we used the electric griddle, Carl could make pancakes and eggs AND could still use a frying pan for bacon! Happiness abounded.
These pancakes are the recipe I grew up on, which my Mom titled “Favourite Pancakes” in the family cookbook. Well, they are my favourite, with just a couple little tweaks, so they deserve a place on this site, despite their ordinary nature. I’ve added vanilla to her recipe because it is delicious, and I often add ground flaxseed, wheat germ, whole wheat flour, or other nutrient-boosting ingredients because hello, they’re still cake, just made in a pan, and I want them to feel like breakfast (or dinner, because pancakes for dinner = good stuff).
My new healthy add-in is a couple tablespoons of Baby Brain Organics, a blend of super-finely ground seeds like chia, sprouted flax, quinoa and hemp hearts. My sweet Gavin is on the brink of one of my least-favourite stages, the puréed food stage, so when I got the opportunity to try Baby Brain Organics, I was excited to give them a whirl.
While I’m waiting another month before I start throwing everything into the food processor and blender for him, I’ve been using them in other things where the whole family gets the bonus fibre, protein and Omega-3s. Sure, I could grind all these things myself and make my own blend, but I don’t think I’d get it this fine, and I know I couldn’t get it this convenient. Not to mention I’d miss out on the pretty packaging :)
I’ve added a tablespoon of Baby Brain Organics to zucchini muffins, smoothies, peanut butter & jam breakfast bars, and garden vegetable muffins, to name a few. The mixtures are ground so finely that adding a bit to virtually any muffin, oatmeal or granola bar recipe will go completely unnoticed. You could even add them to chocolate cake and call it healthier :) I love that this is a Canadian company started by a mom striving to feed her baby the best possible diet as he shifted to solid foods following the perfect nutrition that comes with breastfeeding.
Obviously I wouldn’t dangle these in front of you and not let you get in on the goodness! (And you need to make these pancakes, of course). Thanks to Baby Brain Organics, I’m excited to offer a GIVEAWAY for 1 package of Baby Brain Organics BABY and 1 package of KIDS! You don’t need to be or have a baby or kid to use these – they add great nutrition for anyone, and using only a tablespoon or two at a time means they last awhile. (One winner will win both packages – full details below).
To enter, all you have to do is leave a comment telling me your favourite breakfast food – imagine someone is making you whatever you fancy for breakfast, what would you choose? The contest runs for one week, so any comments left by January 21st count as an entry (one comment per person, please).
- 2½ cups all purpose flour (can sub up to 1 cup with whole wheat flour)
- 6 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 Tablespoons Baby Brain Organics blend (optional)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups milk + 1-2 Tbsp more, as needed
- 4 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- In large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and Baby Brain blend, if using.
- In medium bowl, lightly whisk eggs, then add milk, oil and vanilla and whisk to combine. Pour into flour mixture and stir just until moistened - it will still be a bit lumpy. Add a couple splashes of milk if you like your batter a little thinner.
- Spoon batter by about ¼-cupfuls onto hot, lightly greased griddle or into non-stick frying pan and spread out a bit with the back of a spoon. Let cook until bubbles appear in the surface that do not pop/disappear right away and underside is lightly browned, then flip and cook other side for about 2 minutes.
- Keep warm in the oven while you continue with the rest of the batter - I like to put them on a cooling rack on a big cookie sheet and put that in my oven on the warm setting (around 170 degrees Fahrenheit). The cooling rack keeps them up so the bottoms don't get soggy while they sit.
Disclosure: I received product to sample, but was not required to write nor compensated for this post. The giveaway runs from January 14, 2015 – January 21, 2015 and is open to residents of Canada and the U.S. who have reached the age of majority in their province/territory/state. The winner receives two bags of Baby Brain Organics, an approximate retail value of $42. The winner will be contacted by email and has 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is provided by Baby Brain Organics. Thanks for supporting companies I love that help make this site possible!
*Updated January 23, 2015: Congratulations to Annette!
My Great Grandson,4 years old, is allergic to wheat. His favorite meal is breakfast at Grammys and his most usual request is pancakes. We use all kinds of additions but corn flour is our main ingredient, with many shapes and decorations. Further additions turn the remaining batters into muffins,cookies or cakes. I love it.
Hmmm…favorite breakfast? Fancy french toast with whipping cream and strawberries, for sure! But pumpkin pancakes take a close second since I love feeding them to my kids. I too am NOT looking forward to the baby puree stage.
Pancakes and bacon, preferably cooked by my husband over a camp stove. And coffee, always coffee. I sneak all kinds of things into pancakes, bread, muffins, smoothies etc. :-)
My favorite breakfast food is French Toast.
Mmmmm…. breakfast is my favourite! So many delicious choices, but I’d have to say crepes with whipped cream and strawberries. And of course coffee.
If I were cooking for myself, Anna, it would be scrambled eggs with sautéed spinach and shredded cheese. But, if someone was cooking for me, I think I’d want Eggs Benedict and fresh fruit.
Fresh tropical fruit, omelette with a bit of cheese, and a fresh, fresh mug of dark roast coffee! So if I would win the prize, I’d probably give it to one of my lovely daughters-in-law! :)
You don’t know me — but I came upon your blog through my SIL Tanya (married to my brother Al). I make some of your recipes very regularly and love your humour in your writing!
My perfect breakfast would be scrambled eggs, sausage and a bowl of fresh fruit on the side with a cup of green tea.
Mmm…I love breakfast. It’s my favourite meal of the day other than dessert.
I would have a bacon and cheddar omelette, with a small waffle with strawberries and whipping cream for my breakfast dessert.
Scrambled eggs and sausage with a bowl of fruit on the side would be my favourite. Kids are giddy when waffles or pancakes are on the menu… would love to add you extra bit of goodness to the meal!
French toast is my favourite, although pancakes would be a close second!
Crepes smothered with fruit! Yum!
I found your blog in Reformed Perspective, too! You reviewed it yourself, thanks so much! It makes me happy every time I read it. I thought I knew what my favourite breakfast was (pancakes) but everyone else’s comments sound so yummy, I think I could eat breakfast three meals a day! My family loves your recipes.
Thanks so much for your encouraging words! Glad you found me through my shameless self-promotion :)
Your pancakes looks delicious. I would like a big fresh fruits salads with eggs and baked beans for breakfast.
Bacon n eggs!
I love your blog! I found your blog in the reformed perspective awhile back. We have 5 boys and I am sure the extra nutrients to the pancakes would be a great addition. I am going to try your pancake recipe soon…Boys love pancakes! Do you think you could use this recipe in a waffle maker?
So glad to have you here! I’ve never tried these in a waffle maker…but we love these two waffle recipes: Double Chocolate – http://hiddenponies.com/2012/08/double-chocolate-waffles/ and Whole Wheat Raspberry – http://hiddenponies.com/2013/12/whole-wheat-raspberry-waffles/ if that helps :)
Crepes are my favourite. My best friend’s family would make them on Saturday mornings, and I got to enjoy them too when I spent the night there. :)
I’m usually a shreddies for breakfast kind of person :) If someone were putting in the effort for me, though, I’d go with some bacon and eggs!
Haha, I thought I was the only person in the world who liked Shreddies :)
It would be a myriad of different pancake flavours — banana; with blueberries, with chocolate chips; with peanut butter AND different flavoured syrups (I’m not drooling here!*lol*)
I love this pancakes, but I must admit these days I am more likely to use a fantastic buttermilk pancake recipe I found. I will have to share it some day :) I love the add-ins too :)
I do love those too…but I’m bad for burning those for some reason!
Great classic recipe! I keep pancakes warm the way you do – on a rack in the oven!
Favourite? You’re going to make me choose?!?! Ok, I will. I love cinnamon buns. Btw, where can I find Baby Brain Organics? My 13 month old son is still not on grains because every time I try them he breaks out in a rash. This mix sounds good somehow.
They are based in Toronto, and their site lists retailers that stock the product, and you can see those retailers or order online here: http://www.babybrainorganics.com/products
That sounds difficult if your little one is reacting to all grains – hopefully you can find something that works!
I love homemade waffles, peach compote, whipped cream and warm maple syrup drizzled over top… and bacon would round out the meal – so yummy!! Though I should also mention, that my boys have devoured your ‘baked pancake’ – I made it with peaches instead of apples – so good! :)
I’ll definitely have to try that – we love peaches!
I’m not sure if the giveaway is for Canada only, or also the USA, but I’m going to comment just in case! My favorite breakfast is something savory – probably hash brown potatoes with veggie-loaded scrambled eggs + some really really good bacon. Mmmmmm. =) And practical gifts tend to be my favorites, too!
Chocolate French toast!
I go for a good homemade over easy fried egg and bacon with a slice of tomato on toasted english muffun!:) ps. you’re making me hungry and I just had breakfast!
Eggs Benny!
I love pancakes! I could eat them all the time. :) I often make them with veggies though when I am serving them for dinner.
Eggs Benedict with sliced avocado on top!
Also? I never fry bacon in a pan on the stove anymore. Preheat over to 400 F, put strips on a baking sheet (parchment paper helps with grease clean up) and bake for 15-20 minutes. Voila! :)
That looks like such a great product! I was going to say eggs benedict is my favorite breakfast, but then Chelsea said grapefruit, so now I’m going to say eggs benny with grapefruit. :)
My favorite breaky is Eggs Benny. I loooove fruit smoothies too.
Pancakes…. Mmmmm! :) I love me a pancake, but only eat them for special occasions. My go too breakfast is a smoothie, really digging beetroot, ginger, orange and apple at the moment, so refreshing. But they only work in the warmer months. Winter I am all about the egg tortilla. YUM!
My favorite breakfast would be stuffed French toast with a fruit compote on top and bacon on the side:)
Ultimate breakfast I’ve ever had was the freshest fruit imaginable in El Salvador. But since that can’t happen often I love homemade waffles with strawberries on top! Any breakfast with good fruit!
My absolute favourite breakfast food is pancakes, too bad my hubby doesn’t love them, bacon and eggs is a close second!
Those look delicious! My favorite breakfast food is waffles.
Coffee!!!
Omelets are my favourite restaurant breakfast but they have to be well done. Mushy omelet. :P
Oooh… grapefruit is my favourite! Yumm. Would love to win these! :)