Butter is Back!

Did you hear? Butter is not evil. It's loaded with nutrients and unlike some liquid oils, butter is not treated with high heat to process destroying nutrients. One of butter's beneficial nutrients include lauric acid, an immune-protective nutrient. Butter is rich in vitamins A, D, E and K and contains other essential nutrients, along with short-chain fatty acids, which are not easily stored as fat in the body. All of that being said I don't mind sharing this favorite recipe with you. Butter is back!

Our family loves to eat outside on our deck and breakfast is no exception. We even plug in an electric griddle and cook the pancakes outdoors too. Spring is passing us by...not many al fresco meals yet, but plenty of raindrops. Oatmeal Pancakes were cooked in the warmth of our kitchen this weekend. They are easy, nutritious, tender and filling. The only catch is that you have to remember to soak the oats in buttermilk the night before...so worth it. These pancakes may sound ordinary, but they are absolutely wonderful. Top them with some cinnamon butter and some fresh berries and you have a breakfast as good as any weekend brunch at a restaurant, (Just add champagne evidently it's good for your health too! )

Oatmeal Pancakes

2 c. Old Fashioned Oats (if you only have quick, that's ok too)
2 c. Buttermilk (sometimes I use the old milk and vinegar or lemon juice trick if I don't have buttermilk)
2 eggs
1 stick unsalted butter (I've used half a stick...still good, if you're not convinced of the butter benefits)
1/2 c. flour
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt.
1 tsp. vanilla (great addition to most pancake batters)

Combine oats and buttermilk in a medium size bowl the night before you want to make the pancakes.

In the morning mix together the dry ingredients in a bowl. In another bowl lightly beat the eggs. Melt and slightly cool the butter. Mix the eggs and butter into the oatmeal mixture. Add the flour mixture and gently mix together.
This batter is thick.

Prepare a griddle with oil. Make sure it's good and hot. Flip when the pancakes are set around the edges and nice and brown. Serve with pure maple syrup.

* Great cooked with some coconut oil (great health benefits in raw organic coconut oil too)

Cinnamon Honey Butter
1/4 c. softened unsalted butter
2 tsp. honey
1/8 tsp cinnamon

Mix together. Slather on your favorite pancakes. Would be great on apple or sweet potato pancakes. Stay tuned for those recipes :) in the Fall (unless it never warms up here)

We love these pancakes with fresh berries, but give them an "oatmeal cookie" flavor by adding some walnuts and raisin to the batter.