make-ahead whole wheat + almond pancake mix

I love breakfast. I would say it’s my favorite meal of the day, but I really like lunch and dinner, too. And snacks.

But there’s something particularly special about that first morning meal when you’re hungry from fasting overnight. Ya know, breaking fast.

Here’s what I don’t love: cooking elaborate breakfasts while my tummy is grumbling and my children are clamoring for food beside me. “Can I just have a little appetizer?” they ask. Usually I throw them a banana.

Enter: pancake mix. Make your own combination with bulk ingredients. Keep it stocked in your pantry and all you have to do in the morning is add eggs and milk and then cook ‘em up.

It works especially well for camping trips. Before our recent trip, I finally found a mix recipe that was a keeper. I combined a few different recipes and the result struck just the right balance of healthy and hearty:

Make-Ahead Whole Wheat + Almond Pancake Mix

one/ Make the mix by combining all the ingredients in a jar:

3 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
1 cup almond meal/flour
1/8 cup chia seeds
1/8 cup flax meal (or seeds)
1/4 cup chopped nuts
1/4 cup dried fruit (cranberries, raisins, blueberries, apricots…)
1/4 cup baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

two/ When ready to make pancakes, combine 2.5 cups of the mix with 2 eggs and 2 cups of milk of your choice.

three/ Drop approximately 1/4 cup of batter on a hot skillet with melted butter or oil. Flip over once bubbles appear on the top of the batter.

four/ Top with syrup or jam or nut butter and ENJOY.