Spelt Pancakes

Who has heard of spelt?  Until a year ago, I hadn't, and I'm usually suspicious of anything I haven't heard of.  Then, I got the King Arthur Whole Grains Baking Book, and became convinced that we needed more whole grains in our diet.  So, methodically, I turned to the first recipe in the book, Spelt Pancakes, went to the health food store to buy some spelt flour, and gave them a try.

And they were the best pancakes I ever had.

The hardest thing about them is keeping spelt flour stocked.  It's available at health food stores and at some grocery stores.  You can read more about spelt here, but basically, it's an ancient grain, related to wheat with more protein than wheat, and easier on the digestive system.  It has a different taste, giving the pancakes a deeper, richer flavor.  And it can be substituted for wheat in other recipes.

This recipe is very basic and very easy.  The only caveat is that the batter must sit for 15 minutes before making the pancakes, so you need to allow for that extra time, but they are worth the wait.

Pancakes are Cool Guy's second-favorite breakfast, after oatmeal,  and a special treat for everyone.  Two of these pancakes give you

• 27 whole grains (that's over half what is recommended per day
• 137 calories
• 4 g fat
• 5 g protein
• 4 g fiber

And they look just like regular pancakes, not like some sort of "health food," that my kids wouldn't touch with a 10-foot pole.

We had our stacks this morning with a thin pat of butter, some real maple syrup, an orange on the side, and (for me) coffee with cream.  Fine dining in the a.m.!