Berry-Spinach Pancakes

The other day, one of the blogs I follow featured a spinach pancake. I loved the idea and wanted to try it out this morning, while tweaking the recipe to accommodate my tastes and what I had on hand. It may sound scary, but this recipe is a winner!

The pancake is full of spinach, oats and fresh fruit. I couldn't taste the spinach at all in the finished product. While I love spinach, I don't really want to taste it in my sweet pancake. The blackberries shined as the predominate flavor in my pancakes. The blue color of the pancake comes from all the berries in the batter. The color didn't bother me at all, as it was a visual reminder of all the healthy foods the pancake is stuffed with. Ethan got a big kick out of the colored pancakes.

I was also really surprised by how light and fluffy the pancake was. There was a little chew from the seeds in the berries, but otherwise the texture was just like a typical pancake. I was really expecting a dense or gritty final product and was so pleased that it came out so fluffy.

Pancake Batter:

• 1/4 cup quick cook oats
• 1 tbsp granola mix (oats, sunflower seeds, flaxseed, etc.)
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1/4 cup mixed berries (I used a frozen, bagged berry mix)
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/4 cup liquid egg substitute
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup spinach
• Sprinkle of cinnamon

Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend well.

Pour batter onto a preheated pan that has been prepped with some non-stick spray. Cook until done on each side.

For Berry Topping:

• 1/4 cup mixed berries
• Squirt of honey
• Splash of water to thin, if needed

Place all ingredients in the rinsed out food processor and blend until smooth.

Top finished pancake with berry topping and garnish with a couple of berries.

Enjoy your breakfast and the rest of your day that was started with the healthy fuel of fruits and veggies.