I love pancakes! Yes, I know – pancakes are not the healthiest food choice on the planet. Even the best flapjack would pale nutritionally to say, a nice ripe strawberry. But as an occasional treat, there is nothing quite like a delicious pancake. We have been eating pancakes for a very long time. Indeed, experts believe that pancakes have been in our collective diet as far back as 30,000 years. Pancakes may not be the healthiest food, but, at least, they haven’t killed us.

My love affair with pancakes began in childhood. The pancake of my youth was made largely from refined white flour, milk, egg, and butter, the final product drenched in maple syrup. Mom made them in a greased cast-iron skillet. Small and round, she called them quarter-cakes, although they were about the size shown in the image above. There was enough sugar in those pancakes topped with maple syrup to make my eyes roll in their sockets from sugar overload. Given that I did not want to strike such a significant childhood food permanently from my menu options, I decided to attempt a healthier version, one that would not sacrifice the unique flavor I so enjoyed. I began my great pancake experiment with what I do best – research. I spent weeks trying the various commercial batters and frankly found them to either be lacking nutritionally (too processed) or too grainy for my palate – the grainiest batters tasted a lot like sand. I also tried recipes I found online with better, but less than satisfactory results.

I put on my big-girl pants and decided to create my own homemade version. This was a decision I did not take lightly. After all, I am messing with centuries of pancake goodness and expertise. But I was undeterred. The problem, of course, was flour. Reducing any grain to flour removes fiber. The more flour is processed, the less fiber it will contain and vice versa. Unfortunately, with few exceptions, most of us need more fiber in our diets to maintain our posterior plumbing. Yet, grains that are less processed will by definition be more grainy. Another consideration was saturated fat. My ideal flour would be comparatively higher in fiber, lower in saturated fat, and lower in total carbohydrate. I lined up my usual suspects and analyzed each label. The sheer variety of grains amazed me, one of which (Atta) I had never heard of. The results are listed below. Please note that the nutritional facts may vary some by brand. Always read the label.

• White unbleached bread flour – total fat 0 grams, saturated fat 0 grams, total carbohydrate 23 grams, dietary fiber less than 1 gram
• All-purpose flour – total fat 0.5 grams, saturated fat 0 grams, total carbohydrate 24 grams, dietary fiber 4 grams
• Whole wheat flour – total fat 0.5 grams, saturated fat 0 grams, total carbohydrate 21 grams, dietary fiber 3 grams
• Quinoa flour – total fat 2 grams, saturated fat 0 grams, total carbohydrate 18 grams, dietary fiber 2 grams
• Almond flour – total fat 8 grams, saturated fat 0.5 grams, total carbohydrate 4 grams, dietary fiber 2 grams
• Chickpea flour – total fat 2 grams, saturated fat 0 grams, total carbohydrate 17 grams, dietary fiber 3 grams
• Atta with Multigrains – total fat 0.5 grams, saturated fat 0 grams, total carbohydrate 23 grams, dietary fiber 4 grams
• 6-grain cereal – total fat 1.5 grams, saturated fat 0 grams, total carbohydrate 34 grams, dietary fiber 5 grams
• Rolled oats – total fat 3.5 grams, saturated fat 0.5 grams, total carbohydrate 34 grams, fiber 5 grams
• Cornmeal – total fat 1.5 grams, saturated fat 0 grams, total carbohydrate 26 grams, dietary fiber 3 grams
• Coconut flour – total fat 2.5 grams, saturated fat 2 grams, total carbohydrate 9 grams, dietary fiber 6 grams
• Cashew flour – total fat 12 grams, saturated fat 2 grams, total carbohydrate 8 grams, dietary fiber 1 gram

Unfortunately, I did not find the perfect pancake recipe. Flours that are lower in carbohydrates are higher in fat, often saturated fat. The reverse is also true. However, there is a set of “master” principles one can follow to their own personal best pancake meal. The healthiest pancake recipe is the one that best fits your nutritional needs. As for me, I chose a mixture of flours to strike a balance between carbohydrate and fat, with a decent amount of fiber.

• 1/3 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1/3 cup alternate flour (I typically use almond)
• 1/3 cup alternate flour (I rotate between Atta, all-purpose, or 6-grain cereal)
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (instead of butter)
• 1 tablespoon honey or sweetener of your choice
• 1 large egg or 2 egg whites (if you use whites, add a second tablespoon of olive oil or you can make and use a flax egg if you are vegan)
• Unsweetened vanilla almond milk to consistency
• A dash of salt

Mix dry ingredients first, followed by the oil, beaten egg, honey, and finally the vanilla almond milk

If you like your pancakes on the thick side (as I do), this recipe will provide roughly four pancakes, enough for two people. Leftover cakes can be refrigerated for later consumption. Top with fresh cut fruit (healthiest) or a chosen syrup.

A thousand years from now, I think it is safe to say that pancakes will still be with us. Maybe, some future human with the ideal flour blend will finally build the perfect pancake, elevating this lowly ancient food to a spot among our healthiest choices. Until then, I will savor the occasional pancake breakfast and thank mom for the memories.

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