Heart Healthy Hotcakes

Here's a nutritious twist on an all-time kid favorite: pancakes! These nutty, fluffy flapjacks might just become your household's Sunday morning favorite.

Buckwheat supplies magnesium, which is critical in bone growth and in the function of metabolism, nerves, bones and muscles. Buckwheat is also a great source of lysine, a building block of protein, which is particularly important in a vegetarian diet.

Be sure to sift the dry ingredients (to distribute the baking powder) to ensure that these wholesome hotcakes come out nice and fluffy. Serve these pancakes with warm applesauce or apple butter or any fruit in season.

• 1 cup buckwheat flour
• 1/3 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/3 cup all purpose flour
• 2 Tbs sugar
• 1 Tbs baking powder
• 1/2 tspn salt
• 2 large eggs, separated
• 2 Tbs melted butter or vegetable oil
• 1 cup milk (substitute soy or almond milk)
• 3/4 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt

In a large bowl sift together flours, sugar, baking powder and salt. Using an electric hand mixer, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. In another bowl, beat egg yolks and butter/oil until light in color and thick like mayonnaise. Slowly whist in the milk and yogurt until foamy, a couple of minutes. Add milk mixture to flour mixture and stir prudently; but do not over-mix. Fold in egg whites just until the white streaks are mostly gone; a few small lumps are fine.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat until a few drops of water dance on its surface. Spray pan with non-stick spray and spoon the batter into the pan. Cook until bubbles form and pop, about 2 minutes. Carefully flip pancakes and cook until well colored on other side, another minute or two more.

Stir-ins: Add up to 1/2 cup of a cooked grain like quinoa, brown rice, steel-cut oatmeal or millet to the batter before folding in egg whites. Replace up to 1/2 cup of any flour(s) with an equal amount of cornmeal, rolled oats, oat bran or wheat bran in Step 1.