Desperately Healthy Pancakes

These whole wheat pancakes load up on every healthy pantry staple you can think of: soy flour, wheat germ, bran, and milk powder, all working together to pack serious protein and fiber into every cake. The trick to keeping them from tasting like a chore is the orange juice and a touch of honey and molasses, which round out the earthy whole-grain flavor with brightness and warm depth.

Whipping the egg whites separately and folding them in is what saves these from being dense little hockey pucks. The trapped air gives them a respectable rise even with all the heavy flours fighting against them.

Cook on a moderate griddle and don’t crowd the surface; the whole-grain batter cooks slower than a standard pancake, which is why one side gets the longer two-and-a-half-minute cook before flipping.

Kitchen Tips

• Use fresh baking powder; older powder loses potency and these pancakes need every bit of lift to overcome the dense flour mix.
• Beat the egg whites to stiff but moist peaks; over-whipped whites collapse the batter when folded.
• Stir the batter as little as possible after folding in the whites. Gentle folding keeps the air in.
• Keep cooked pancakes warm in a low oven at 200°F (95°C) on a wire rack, not stacked, or they steam and turn gummy.

Variations

• Swap buckwheat flour for the soy flour for a nuttier, traditional whole-grain pancake.
• Add a half cup of blueberries or grated apple to the batter for natural sweetness.
• Use lemon zest instead of orange for a sharper, brighter version.