Dr. Ian Smith, a former member of the President’s Council, suggests this yummy recipe. These flapjacks get their sturdy character from whole-wheat flour, but they owe their divine flavor to kisses of honey, vanilla, and cinnamon.
Good Source of Vitamin B2 and B3
One of the 13 essential vitamins needed for the body to function. You can find Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) in dairy products, eggs, green leafy vegetables, lean meats, legumes, milk and nuts. (Do not store foods with B2 in glass containers that can be exposed to light, as the vitamin can be destroyed with exposure to light.)
Choose foods with B3 (Niacin) in Avocado, Eggs, Enriched breads and fortified cereals, Fish (tuna and salt-water fish), Lean meats, Legumes, Nuts, Potato and Poultry.
Compote is just a fancy French word for homemade preserves and a great way to make your own topping without artificial additives. It’s so delicious on the pancakes that you may forget the syrup!
Whole-Wheat Pancakes with Blueberry-Lemon Compote
Serves 4
For the blueberry-lemon compote:
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 teaspoon sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
For the pancakes:
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup wheat germ
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups light almond milk
1/4 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cooking spray
In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the blueberries, sugar, and 3 tablespoons water. Bring to a simmer and cook until the blueberries just begin to pop, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon zest. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the flours, wheat germ, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Whisk to incorporate.
In a separate large bowl, combine the almond milk, yogurt, eggs, honey, and vanilla extract. Whisk until incorporated. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir just until combined. Do not over mix.
Spray a large nonstick griddle or skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat.
Pour 1/4 cup of the batter for each pancake on the griddle and cook until bubbles appear on the surface, the edges are set, and the bottom is light golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the pancakes and cook until the underside turns golden, about 2 minutes more.
Remove the pancakes from the pan and continue with the remaining batter. Serve the pancakes with the compote drizzled over the top.
Nutritional Information
Calories 284; Carbohydrates 58g; Cholesterol 50mg; Sugars 7g; Fiber 6g; Sodium: 6386mg; Fat 5g; Protein 12g
* Source: Medicine Plus, President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition, NewsMax, WebMD
Since 1998, the United States federal government requires manufacturers to fortify cereal and grain products with folic acid in 1998. Products like bread, pasta, flour, breakfast cereal and rice can greatly contribute to good health.
Enriched vs Fortified. There's a difference between foods that are "Enriched" and foods "Fortified." In both cases, nutrients are added, but food that loses nutrients because of food processing are enriched with those lost nutrients; Foods fortified never had the nutrients that are purposely added for health reasons.
Vitamin B2 plays a major role in the production of energy. Since it is a water-soluble vitamin, it cannot be stored in the body and should be replenished every day. It is essential for our body functions and helps in the processing of amino acids and fats. It is required for breaking down carbohydrates. It also doubles up as an antioxidant, which prevents tumors and slows down aging. A part of the B-complex family, it is available in every living tissue. It is also called riboflavin.
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) can improve cholesterol levels and lower cardiovascular risks. Several studies have shown that it can boost levels of good HDL cholesterol and lower triglycerides as well or better than some prescription drugs. Niacin also modestly lowers bad LDL cholesterol.