Kids Cook Monday: Savory Wheat Pancakes

A brand-new flour sifter and a ball whisk made the magic. They were so fancy that the kids asked to cook with me this Monday afternoon. Attracted by the new gadgets, the boys were pleased to know about what they were to prepare: Parmesan cheese pancakes. A nice and nutrition-loaded light dinner to celebrate one more post related to the campaign The Kids Cook Monday.

This very versatile variation of the Brazilian staple is a healthier interpretation: whole wheat flour, omega-3 eggs, and canola oil add more nutrition to the dish. The kids were happy to eat it plain with a generous dash of my favorite spread. But if you are willing, they can be rolled as traditional Italian manicotti and filled with spinach and ricotta cheese or even minced beef with veggies. Next time I will try to make them with spelt flour, adding some sunflower seeds to the dish -- I will let you know how that comes out.

Wheat Pancakes

If you don't have wheat flour available, don't worry: any good all-purpose, unbleached flour will bring nice results.

1 cup 100% whole wheat flour
1 egg
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 cup 2% milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
ground nutmeg, to taste

Sift flour and reserve in a bowl. Whisk egg, oil, and milk together in another bowl. Add sifted flour to the mix, whisking constantly. Whisk in cheese, salt, and nutmeg. Let the mix stand for 15 minutes.

Heat skillet or griddle. Pour pancake mix onto the hot surface. With the help of a heatproof spatula, spread the pancake in the desired shape. When it starts to detach from the edges of the skillet or griddle, turn it over and cook until it is golden and looks ready to be devoured.