cereal cooking « Cook Like Mad

Kashi Apple Pancakes

I wrote a post a little while ago about using Pimms in turkey meatballs to avoid wasting it. Not surprisingly, it appears alcohol is not the only item in my cupboard that is in need of creative application! I opened a box of Kashi Go Lean cereal around the time I moved to DC two months ago and since I spend quite a bit of time at D’s place and also have breakfast provided at my office, its been sitting there, half full, since then…

Two month old cereal is not my idea of an appealing breakfast, no matter how hungry I am, but I’m disinclined to just chuck it- I mean, I had made those muffins with Smart Bran cereal a while back, and while that was fresh cereal, after it was soaked in milk, that couldn’t have made a big difference, right? So, I thought this Saturday morning, equipped with a fully stocked fridge, I’d make pancakes with my stale cereal. I figured, there is a similar preparation for both muffins and pancakes, so the cereal-soaking method could work nicely in my plan to use cereal in another warm preparation.

Before I go into the actual recipe, I must stay I did have trepidations about using Kashi Go Lean in the recipe rather than another cereal like cheerios or corn pops or anything less packed with fiber. I thought, isn’t this cereal going to make crunchy pancakes? That didn’t sound very appetizing… My goal was to make the cereal indistinguishable from the batter; to thicken it without standing out. Let me tell you, the food gods were behind me this morning. : )

The only evidence of cereal in this batter was the thickness it gave. As each pre-softened nugget of cereal melted into the batter as it was surrounded by the heat of the pan, it somehow retained its shape without adding any crunch, giving way to impossibly fluffy yet hearty pancakes! I added 1 fuji apple (diced) to sweeten the pancakes and add another dimension of flavor, but feel free to omit it. So now, I share with you my second cupboard-raiding recipe: cereal reincarnated. It’s not only a great use of another would-be wasted pantry item, but depending on which cereal you’ve neglected, it can also be a great way to sneak more fiber into your morning meal! Enjoy : )

Kashi Apple Pancakes
Serves 4

1 1/2 cups Kashi Go Lean cereal (or cereal of choice)

1 cup milk

1 cup flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder (baking soda is fine to substitute, though)

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs

2 tbsp butter, melted

1 tbsp sugar

1/2 cup vanilla yogurt

1 apple, diced (I prefer Fuji) -optional

Method:

1. Combine cereal and milk in a small bowl and let sit for 15 minutes.

2. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.

3. When the cereal has almost finished soaking, lightly beat the eggs in another separate bowl and whisk in the melted butter, sugar, and yogurt. Stir in the diced apples, if using.

4. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and stir just until combined. Do not overmix or the pancakes will be tough.

5. Drop heaping tablespoonfuls onto a medium-hot skillet and flip when the bubbles that appear on top of the pancakes begin to pop. Finish cooking on the other side and serve.