Lighter Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Pancakes

When people ask me what I am most proud of that I have done for my family, I will answer you with two words… creating traditions.  I think what makes our family unique is not only our commitment to live within our means, but to have fun doing it along the way by creating family traditions that I hope my children will someday remember fondly. Perhaps one of my most favorite traditions is our Jazzy Sunday tradition of delicious waffles and jazz music. Those two are the perfect merriment for our family and no Sunday would be complete without this special time together.

It is nice to switch up the traditions though, and this particular Sunday felt like the perfect pancake kind of morning.  In the fall months my Light & Fluffy Pumpkin Pancakes are a family favorite, in the summer my Fresh Blueberry Pancakes are a fun breakfast treat, and Piggy Pancakes happen to be a year-round way to cheer up my kids when they have had a rough day.

Chocolate chip pancakes are my daughter’s new favorite thing after a school field trip to a local restaurant served a plate of these up to her.  I prefer a hearty pancake that will stick to their ribs especially when heading for a jam-packed day of school. I decided to whip up a batch of these whole wheat chocolate chip pancakes to satisfy her pancake cravings that just happen to be filled with wheat flour, wheat germ, and mini chips for a good balance of sweetness to round them out. I promise you won’t miss that white flour at all and neither will your kids!

Let’s gather up our ingredients for this fun recipe. You will need whole wheat white flour (or you can substitute with half white and half wheat flour), wheat germ, baking powder, salt, butter, skim milk, eggs, vanilla extract, sugar (just a tiny bit), and mini chocolate chips.

In a large bowl mix together your whole wheat white flour, wheat germ, baking powder, salt, and sugar. I like to break up the lumps with a whisk.

In a separate bowl whisk together your skim milk, eggs, vanilla, and melted butter.

Now mix the wet and dry ingredients together, just until they are incorporated. It’s okay if the batter is lumpy, I promise!

Preheat your nonstick griddle to 350 degrees or spray a skillet with nonstick cooking spray and heat on medium heat.

Ladle 1/4 cupfuls of batter onto your griddle and then sprinkle with a tablespoon or so of mini chocolate chips (if desired). Let the pancakes cook until they begin to bubble, then flip. Cook until golden on the other side. Serve with a little syrup and fresh strawberries. Yum!

Lighter Chocolate Chip Pancakes

1 3/4 cups white whole wheat flour
1/4 cup wheat germ
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups skim milk
1/4 cup margarine, melted
2 eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 tablespoons sugar
Mini chocolate chips (optional)
Cooking spray

Combine flour, wheat germ, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Set bowl aside. In a separate bowl, whisk together the skim milk, melted margarine, eggs, vanilla, and sugar. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients; stir in the wet ingredients, being careful not to over mix the batter.  Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and coat with cooking spray. Pour 1/4 cupfuls of batter onto the skillet & sprinkle each pancake with mini chocolate chips (if desired). Cook until bubbles appear on the surface. Flip with a spatula, and cook until golden brown on the other side.

Recipe Source: Adapted from AllRecipes.com

I put a shout-out on our Facebook Fan Page asking for any recipe requests for these upcoming summer months. What recipes are you looking for?  I would love to hear what you want to see so can create recipes that your family will really enjoy! Thanks so much for your help, friends!