While I definitely didn’t make time to write about it, I sure did spend a lot of time this summer cooking, grilling and baking. Highlights:
2 new Baked Bean Recipes – Chipotle Lime Baked Beans & Cocoa Spiked Baked Beans with Apple
5 new desserts, including Cherry Cobbler, Whole Grain Cinnamon Shortcakes & Strawberries, Key Lime Pie, Shortbread Cookies and Apple Nut Cake with Maple Topping
1 new Pasta Salad – Antipasto Pasta Salad
1 new Fish recipe – Grilled Marinated Salmon with Tropical Mango Salsa
1 new Breakfast recipe – Oven-Baked Pancake (3 versions)
1 Smoothie and 1 Trail/Snack Mix
Plus, I tweaked several old favorites until I got ‘em just right: Corn Lime Cilantro Sauce for Grilled Pork Tenderloin, Basil Pesto, Apple Egg Cheese Breakfast Casserole and Whole Grain Oatmeal Bars with Raisins & Dates.
And in between whisking, whipping, stirring and tasting, I power-walked, weight trained and swam my way to staying in shape. Swimming is new and only because Jeff and I moved into a new place in late July. The pool is within walking distance, making early morning and late evening swims realistic and enjoyable.
Let’s celebrate the arrival of fall with my newest – and third – version of this Oven Baked Pancake. First version was just plain – no fruit or nuts. Then came the plethora of summer blueberries. Finally, this fall version with apples and pecans.
It’s 100% whole grain from the white whole wheat flour, oats and flax seed and filled with lots of heart-healthy and immune-boosting nutrients from those grains plus the apples and pecans.
Serve with 100% orange juice, slices of skillet sautéed Canadian bacon or ham and a fruit salad made from any fresh, frozen and/or canned in natural juice fruits.
This oven-baked pancake is easy, fast and best of all, tasty.
Apple Pecan Oven-Baked Pancake
Ingredients
1 cup white whole wheat flour (suggest King Arthur Brand)
1 ¾ cups old-fashioned oats
1/3 cup ground flax seed
1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon Saigon cinnamon
½ teaspoon apple pie spice
3 large eggs
1 1/3 cups low-fat buttermilk
¼ cup canola oil
2 cups finely diced, peeled apples
2/3 cup finely chopped pecans
Directions
Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Whisk all dry ingredients in large bowl.
- Whisk eggs, milk and oil together in a separate smaller bowl; stir into dry ingredients with spoon until just combined. Don’t over mix.
- Lightly stir in apples and pecans.
- Spread batter in 10×15-inch jelly roll pan coated with vegetable cooking spray.
- Bake 13 to 15 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, but not overly dry.
- Cut into 18 squares and serve immediately with Maple Syrup.
Serves 4 to 6 (3 to 4 squares each).
Blueberry Version: omit apple pie spice and add 2 cups fresh blueberries and 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest.
Plain version: omit blueberries, apples and pecans.
Create your own version: add any fruit or nut!