Whole wheat, cranberry and pecan pancakes

Sometimes I crave pancakes. And then I remind myself that this couldn't possibly be healthy. And then I remind myself that I could make whole grain ones, and everyone knows that whole grains are healthy. (Let's not talk about all the maple syrup I want to put on top, shall we?)

This morning, I considered making my whole grain apple pancakes, but the thought of all the preparation and apple-grating made me feel very apathetic. So I invented a new recipe, and it came out wonderfully. I've figured out that the trick to making baked goods with 100% whole wheat flour (rather than a mixture of whole wheat and white) is to put yogurt or buttermilk in them to lighten the texture. So many whole wheat baked goods end up dense, heavy, and leaden, with a nasty taste. Yogurt fixes all that--it makes things fluffy and gives them a delicious tang of acidity.These pancakes aren't really sweet, but the cranberries and pecans give them a wonderful flavor. Next time, to add to the complexity of flavor, I might halve the cinnamon and add 1/4 teaspoon each of ground cardamom and ground ginger, and a pinch of ground cloves.

This recipe makes 10 pancakes, which was more than enough for two adults and one toddler.

Ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder (I prefer no-aluminum baking powders)
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup plain unsweetened yogurt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
About 1/4 cup dried cranberries
About 1/4 cup small pecan pieces

In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients. In another, larger bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, yogurt, and vanilla. Tip the dry ingredients into the wet ones and whisk until just combined.

Heat a large cast-iron or non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Brush the surface with oil or melted butter. Using a 1/4 cup measure, place scoops of the mixture into the pan, 3 or 4 at a time. Wait until little bubbles start bursting on the top of the pancakes. Sprinkle a few cranberries and pecan pieces on the pancakes, then quickly flip the pancakes over. Cook until the pancakes are golden on both sides and cooked on the inside.

Serve topped with maple syrup. And sliced fresh fruit, if you are still clinging to any pretense of a healthy breakfast.