Oaty Pancakes

It is very depressing to go to IHOP and realize how much of the menu is not low-carb friendly.  Yes, they have protein pancakes, but the sheer volume means you're getting a lot of carbs as well.  I decided to make my own and add oats for fiber, protein, and staying power.  There's also some protein powder in here for flavor, but it isn't necessary.

I guess I don't make pancakes more often because there isn't such a thing as a small batch.  One egg makes 4 to 6 servings.  For a household of one, this counts as meal prep.  The pancakes I didn't eat the first day went into the freezer.

The original recipe I started with was from the Sunset Easy Basics for Good Cooking, copyright 1982.  That was for quantities of dry vs wet ingredients.  What I ended up with was vastly different.

1 C all-purpose flour
1/2 C rolled oats
1 Tb baking powder
*2 scoops (1 serving) vanilla protein powder
1/2 tsp salt
1-1/4 C milk (or water for dairy-free)
*1 egg
3 Tb butter or margarine, melted
oil for the pan

1.  Whiz the oats in a food processor or coffee grinder to make a coarse flour.

2.  Stir together flour, oat flour, protein powder, and salt in a bowl.  In a separate container, stir together milk, egg, and melted butter.

3.  Combine wet and dry ingredients.  Stir several times, then let sit for 10 minutes, to allow the oat flour and protein powder to hydrate.

4.  Preheat a skillet or griddle over medium-high heat.  Grease with a thin layer of oil.  When it's hot enough for drops of water to dance, you're ready to begin cooking.

5.  Pour 1/4 C of batter onto the skillet for each 3-4 inch pancake.  These came out thinner than I was aiming for, but got thicker as the batter matured.  Cook until bubbles stop popping on the surface, 2-3 minutes.  Flip and cook until the other side is golden, another 1-2 minutes.  Remove to a platter, re-oil the griddle as necessary, and repeat until all the batter is cooked.

Makes about 20 small pancakes, serving 4-6

Difficulty rating  :)