Last week was Toby and my fourth anniversary. And I weigh 30 pounds more than I do when we got married. Yikes. That’s major. That’s like… a toddler.

So, I am on a diet for at least a month. These pancakes are not part of that diet, although they do have a lot of whole grains and fiber and no sugar other than what’s in the bananas. But they were good. And Toby and I went and swam for an hour after we ate them and weren’t starving after. So that’s a good sign.

Now, you may be wondering what I am going to blog about if I am basically just eating plain/raw/steamed vegetables, fruit, brown rice, egg whites and beans. Because those things are not terribly exciting.

I won’t bore you with how many laps I swim, although I may post a little about swimming. And this is a great time for shopping, so I will try to write more about that. But I have a few recipes saved to throw in throughout the month… and I also will probably be posting some smoothies and salads and quinoa and stuff. Provided it is actually good.

 

Mmmm. Bananas. You can mash them up with a fork.

Oh! I almost forgot. I have a not-very-exciting giveaway for you! The diet I am doing right now is called (try not to laugh) the “Fat Smash Diet.” But there is a related diet, called the “Extreme Fat Smash Diet,” which I have done in the past. There are some options, but it is pretty regimented and tells you what to eat for each of four meals a day (e.g. 1/2 cup brown rice and 1/2 cup vegetables), and how much to work out (it’s a lot). It’s hard to do if you work long hours or have a varying schedule. But if you have some time, it worked pretty well for me a few years ago. And I have two copies of the book. So, if anyone is interested in receiving a copy, post the name of your favorite vegetable in the comment section below. Assuming anyone wants it, I will pick someone at random to send it to.

Back to these pancakes… the original recipe calls for reduced-fat oat bran pancake mix. Which I certainly don’t have, and you probably don’t either. I do, however, have tons of oat bran, wheat bran and wheat germ left over from making that soda bread. So I made up my own mix.

 

You don’t have to cook them in butter if you don’t want to. A little cooking spray would be fine. And don’t put too much maple syrup or other things on top of these before you try them — the bananas make them sweet enough. But they’d probably be good with peanut butter (if you like peanut butter) or just some sliced bananas and walnuts.

Banana oat pancakes (Adapted from Bon Appetit, serves 3-4)
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1 cup skim/non-fat milk
1 cup very ripe bananas, mashed (about 3 medium)
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons toasted wheat germ (mine came toasted)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons oat bran
1 tablespoon wheat bran
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 cups minus 3 tablespoons whole wheat flour
Butter or cooking spray to cook
Maple syrup, more bananas or other toppings

Combine oats and milk in a large bowl. Let stand until oats are soft, about 15 minutes.

Mash bananas and then stir into oat mixture. Beat eggs slightly and add to mixture, along with wheat germ and cinnamon.

Add oat bran, wheat bran and baking powder to a 1 cup dry measuring cup, then fill rest with whole wheat flour. Stir in to batter, then add additional 1/2 cup whole wheat flour and stir in until just combined. Batter will be very thick.

Melt butter in a skillet (or spray and heat a griddle) over medium heat. Pour about 1/4 cup batter for a large pancake or 1/8 cup batter for small pancake and spread slightly with back of spoon. Cook for 3 minutes, until bubbles begin to break on the edges and bottom is browned. Turn pancakes with a spatula and cook until cooked through (probably a few more minutes).

Keep pancakes warm on a baking sheet in a 200 degree oven, or serve immediately. Top with a little maple syrup, sliced bananas, walnuts or other toppings to serve. (One large pancake or two small pancakes is a serving)