Oatmeal & Banana Pancakes with Pomegranate Syrup

Today was my friends last day visiting me in Texas, and we wanted a healthy breakfast, so we made these pancakes.  I know you are thinking what, pancakes aren't healthy, but these are.  These pancakes are loaded with complex carbs, yet contain no saturated fat.  plus, the pomegranate juice is high in polyphenols! Bonus!!  I found this recipe in the latest issue of Clean Eating Magazine.

Pomegranate syrup:

1 cup pomegranate juice

2 T. honey

Pancakes:

3 medium bananas, plus 1 sliced banana for garnish

1/2 cup low-fat milk

1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1 cup rolled oats, ground to a coarse flour in a food processor

1/4 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking powder

2 egg whites, whipped to soft peaks

olive oil cooking spray

1. To make syrup, whisk juice with honey in a small saucepan.  Bring mixture to a boil over medium high  heat, then drop heat to medium.  Simmer mixture and reduce it to a syrup, about 15 minutes.  Remove from heat and let syrup cool slightly before using.
2. To make pancakes, add bananas, milk, and vanilla to a blender and puree until smooth.  In a large bowl, whisk together ground oats, rolled oats, flour, salt, and baking powder.  Fold banana puree into dry ingredients to form a thick batter, taking care not to overwork it.  Gently fold in whipped egg whites.  Heat a large non stick skillet coated with cooking spray to medium heat.  Add portions of batter, leaving room for pancakes to expand.  Cook until lightly browned, about 1 1/2 minutes per side.  Serve with banana slices and a drizzle of pomegranate syrup.

THE VERDICT:  I'm not a huge fan  of pancakes, but I would eat these everyday.  We loved them, and they defiantly hit the spot before our workout.