This easy breakfast has five ingredients and makes for a versatile, nutritiously flavor-rich staple – PLUS it can easily be made in bulk for the week or month!

I love these breakfast pancakes. I really do – I’ve made versions of these years back with my mom that had only three ingredients (eggs, salt and oats) and they never disappoint. 

But now, I make these using an entire box of pancake mix (I really love the Kodiak brand), which is low in sugar, and high in fiber and protein. Then I doctor it up with additional ingredients.

Nutritious, delicious and easy. You will notice that when it comes to my recipes, I follow three rules of thumb. It has to be nutritious, delicious, and easy.  My philosophy is that food can be healthful AND joyful, and that includes the cooking process, too. Meals can take a long time to execute, so when I offer ideas, I promise you they won’t be complex. 

These pancakes are for everyone! Now the beauty of these pancakes is that it can be an excellent breakfast for baby-led-weaning all the way through adulthood. They’re filling due to the fiber-rich whole grain oat flour and additional protein. Plus, it is easy to add toppings at the end, such as sliced fruit or nut butters that adds a level of personalization for everyone. I love when a recipe is versatile because then, everyone wins, including the chef!

You won’t need much to make these. For this recipe, I used the Kodiak chocolate chip power cakes, but my family also likes the whole wheat oat and honey flavor and the buttermilk power cakes. Alternatively, you can substitute whole rolled oats or instant oats in place of Kodiak, but it won’t have that spongy texture (it will still taste great, though!) These are the only ingredients I use for this recipe.

• 5 whole eggs 
• 1 whole 23 oz jar of unsweetened applesauce 
• ¼ to ½ cup water 
• 2 Tbsps vanilla extract 
• 1 whole box of any 18 oz kodiak flapjack and waffle mix

One whole 23 oz jar of unsweetened applesauce really helps add a few servings of fruit and flavor to the mixture. Alternatively, you can mash up 2-3 very ripe bananas for the same effect. Lastly, you will need eggs and vanilla extract. We will also sometimes throw in a little cinnamon when not using the chocolate chip flavor, and some flax or chia seeds to boost fiber. Nearing Thanksgiving, I tend to swap the applesauce for a 15.5 oz can of pumpkin for the additional beta-carotene and add in ground nutmeg for that yummy fall flavor. 

The steps are easy. I literally just dump everything into a large bowl and mix it, but culinary experts generally recommend separating the “wet” ingredients from the “dry,” so if you’re going to do that, then just mix your wet ingredients (i.e., eggs, vanilla, applesauce, water) and then dry ingredients (i.e., Kodiak mix, and optional cinnamon and chia or flaxseeds). 

The batter should have a pretty thick consistency, unless you prefer extra thin pancakes – in which case, just add more water. I use a sturdy whisk with a metal head (versus silicone) for mixing-ease.

You can make these into the shape of your choice, once you’re satisfied with the batter consistency. Here are some ideas! 

• Muffins – pour the batter into a mini muffin pan and bake at 325F for 25 minutes. Let cool for 5-10 minutes before popping the muffins out of the pan. Store in the refrigerator or freeze in a zip lock or Tupperware.
  • Mini muffin pan
  • Reusable silicone muffin liners*

*As you can see, some of my mini muffin liners went missing – the kids enjoy using these as hats for their dolls – so I had to line the remaining ones with non-stick spray.

• Pancakes – drop 2 Tablespoon dollops onto the griddle (non stick spray always helps), cook on low for 7-10 minutes. Before flipping, simply check by using your spatula to lift the edges – if the pancake is not intact, you cannot flip. Wait longer. Once flipped, cook for another 4-5 minutes on the other side. Store it whole in the fridge or freezer, then cut it like a pizza when ready to eat.
  • Check out my favorite griddle, pans, and kitchen tools on my resources page!

VIDEO LINK FOR “THE FLIP” 

Top it off! We like eating these with peanut butter and sliced banana or raspberries on top. I make these on Sundays and freeze them for the week or keep them in the refrigerator for the week. In the morning, roll out of bed and reheat these in the microwave, or better yet, a toaster. Breakfast is done!