Blueberry Oatmeal Pancakes

It’s no surprise that I love breakfast.

If I could have it for every meal, I would.

But it’s not just about the food for me. “Breakfast for dinner” is fun, but breakfast the meal is what’s really special.

It’s the smell of the kitchen waking up in the morning, skillets sizzling, ovens preheating, measuring cups clinking. Footsteps filling the house and the coffee brewing.

The first streaks of sunlight coming in the window, cool to warm, dark to light, empty to full.

And weekend breakfasts with family and friends? I just don’t think there’s anything better than sitting around the kitchen table, sipping coffee and swapping stories. Laughing. Chewing. Smiling at the day ahead that’s starting with a good meal.

With all the family we’ll have here in the next couple of months, I’ll be making lots of big breakfasts. And I couldn’t be happier.

On Labor Day weekend, my mom, sister, and I went blueberry picking and Nick and I had a few handfuls left in the fridge last weekend. And if there’s anything that needs to be made with fresh blueberries, it’s pancakes and fruit sauce.

Berry pancakes topped with more berries is one of my favorite things about summer. I’m enjoying the last of these before pumpkin officially takes over.

Blueberry Oatmeal Pancakes

Makes: 10-12 pancakes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup oats
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• pinch salt
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 Tbsp oil or melted butter
• 1/2 cup fresh blueberries

Directions:

1. Mix the oats and buttermilk in a bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes, or, ideally, overnight.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. Add the beaten egg, vanilla, and oil/butter to the oat and buttermilk mixture and stir together.
4. Add the oat mixture to the flour mixture, and stir to blend. Gently fold in the blueberries.
5. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and brush or spray with oil. *Tip: To make sure it’s hot enough, wet your fingers under the faucet and sprinkle a few droplets of water onto the pan. If they sizzle, it’s ready.
6. Scoop the batter, 1/4 – 1/3 cup at a time onto the pan.
7. When the bottoms are browned and the top is set around the edges, flip the pancakes. Cook until the second side has browned.
8. Re-spray/grease the skillet if needed, and repeat with the remaining batter. If the pancakes begin to brown too quickly, lower the heat just a bit.
9. Serve hot, with maple syrup, butter, and blueberry honey topping.

 

Blueberry Honey Topping

Makes: 1/2 cup topping

Ingredients:

• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 1 Tbsp water

Directions:

1. Combine ingredients in a small sauce pan over medium heat and bring to a simmer.
2. Let cook until blueberries have broken down and the sauce has thickened slightly and reduced by half.
3. Serve warm.

Tagged as: blueberry oatmeal pancakes, blueberry pancakes, whole wheat blueberry pancake recipe