Pancakes of Champions

This is a very serious bicycle advocacy blog. You're here to hear about all the latest, hot-off-the-press advocacy news.

But why do you care about bike advocacy?

I'd bet my bottom dollar it's because you're a bicyclist.

And if you're a bicyclist, you probably share one of my interests: Food. That's why I'm sharing this pancake recipe. I found it a while ago and found it makes delicious, heartier-than-normal pancakes that keep me riding for many miles (the picture shows some of the miles I rode fueled by these pancakes). It’s almost like oatmeal in pancake form — truly a cyclist’s dream breakfast.

Ingredients
1 C. milk
3/4 C. quick-cooking rolled oats (My note: I use a very grainy oatmeal called Vermont Morning for this – mmm, hearty, slightly crunchy still, all-round fabulous, delicious, and wonderful oatmeal for normal oatmeal eating, cookies, or in pancakes as described below)

3/4 C. all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking soda

2 beaten eggs
1 tablespoon cooking oil

Instructions

1. In small sauce pan, heat milk until warm. Stir in oats; turn the heat down to simmer or turn it off entirely and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium mixing bowl combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.
3. After 5 minutes, stir the oat mixture into the flour mixture.
4. In a separate container, stir together beaten eggs and cooking oil.
5. Add the eggs and cooking oil all at once to the flour-oat mixture.
6. Stir mixture just until blended but still slightly lumpy. Do not over-mix!
7. Heat a griddle or pan on medium-low. For each pancake, pour about 1/4 C. of the batter onto a hot, lightly-greased griddle or heavy skillet and let spread to about 4-inch circle.
   My note: Sprinkle freshly-poured pancake with fresh or frozen berries, chocolate chips, sliced apples and walnuts, or other deliciousness to add a little more flavor.
8. Cook pancakes until they are golden brown, turning to cook the second side when the pancakes have a bubbly surface and slightly dry edges. My note: these tend to burn easily. Cook slowly at medium-low or they will end up dark brown or burned rather than golden brown.

Serve with real maple syrup, buttered with powdered sugar, topped with fresh-sliced fruit or microwaved frozen fruit. I find just two of these pancakes gives me enough energy to ride 20 or 30 miles easily.

Cool any extra pancakes on a cookie cooling rack and store in a Ziploc baggie (refrigerated if > 1 day). You can even carry them in your back pocket for on-the-road nutrition. Reheat in the microwave or eat cold as a quick, hearty snack.

Yum.