I love pancakes! That’s a strong statement right there. Pancakes really are one of my favorite things to eat. I especially like them with chocolate chips and topped with a bit of powdered sugar. Pancakes can actually be a healthy meal. We tend to follow a traditional food kind of diet. In doing so, I have learned to soak wheat to make it a healthier option.
We grind our own wheat so we have the freshest flour possible. I start by grinding the amount of wheat I need for a recipe. Then, I add the required amount of milk mixed with and acidic medium like whey or lemon juice. By soaking our wheat overnight in the milk/acidic medium it breaks down the phytic acid and makes the wheat more easily digested along with making the nutrients more available for absorption.
The recipe I follow for the pancakes came from the “Nourishing Traditions” cook book by Sally Fallon. I will tell you upfront that we triple the recipe. We have a lot of little mouths to feed and we also like to have leftovers for breakfast the next morning. Having enough leftovers simplifies this mama’s morning a lot! I tend to make pretty large pancakes and tripling the recipe makes twenty six big ol’ yummy pancakes. You can always decrease the recipe and make smaller pancakes if you’d like to.
Without further ado………
Soaked Whole Wheat Pancakes
First, I start out by grinding my wheat in my Nutrimill grain mill. Then I add my milk and lemon juice. I whisk this all together to be sure that I don’t have any clumps. I place this bowl uncovered overnight in our toaster oven. (In the morning there may be a dark liquid on top of the batter. This is normal separation, you can either mix it back in or pour the liquid off)
The beginning of something so beautifully tasty!
Now, I add my salt (I use pink Himalayan salt) and baking soda and give it a good stir.
Salt and baking soda
Followed by the eggs.
Lovely non-gmo, soy free eggs from our free range hens
Next in is the melted butter.
Butter makes everything taste better!
You can stop here and begin to cook your pancakes if you’d like to. I never do. This is the best part for me…… the add-ins. I prefer chocolate chips in my pancakes but Farmer Derek likes blueberries much better. It is totally up to you, you can add whatever you like to have in your pancakes.
My favorite part: the chocolate chips
Mix it all in really well. I use a ladle to pour my batter onto a pre-heated and buttered cast iron griddle. I think the pancakes cook up so nicely in cast iron.
Batter on the hot griddle
Almost time to flip
Once they get air bubbles all over and the edges start to cook it is time to flip those pancakes!
Flipped over to finish up
Now, we stack ’em high. I like to top mine with a dab of powdered sugar. Farmer Derek and some of the Farm Kids prefer grade B maple syrup on theirs. Then we all dig in and enjoy!
That’s a stack of pancakes!
Enjoy!
Soaked Whole Wheat Pancakes
These traditionally prepared pancakes ar a delicious and healthy meal.
Ingredients
- 6 cup Whole wheat flour
- 6 cups Milk
- 3 tbsp Lemon juice or whey
- 1 1/2 tsp Salt sea salt or pink Himalayan
- 3 tsp Baking soda aluminum free
- 6 Pasture raised eggs
- 6 tbsp Melted butter organic
- 1 1/12 cups Add ins (chocolate chips, fruit, etc...) optional
Instructions
-
Soak flour in milk/acidic medium mixture for 12-24 hours. Add salt and baking soda, mix well. Mix in eggs. Stir in melted butter. Optional- mix in add-ins.
Use ladle to pour batter on hot buttered griddle or skillet. Allow to cook until air bubbles cover top of pancake and edges start to cook. Flip and allow to cook through on other side.
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I don,t have a flour mill. But I do add wheat germ to my pancakes and waffles to make them healthier. It also gives them a great taste. Would love to be able to mill my own flour.
Is the liquid that forms overnight similar to the liquid that forms on sourdough if it hasn’t been tended? I’m never absolutely sure whether I want to pour it off or stir it in. Not sure it makes a big difference when it’s just a small bit.
Yes, it is the same liquid. sometimes I stir it in sometimes I pour it off. LOL 🙂
Why are they called ‘soaked”?
Because I soak the wheat overnight before cooking them. It is a traditional grain preparation method to break down the phytic acid in the wheat. It makes it more easily digestible.