To me, the biggest treat of the weekend– really, what makes a weekend a weekend– is having the time to wake up slowly, get my bearings, maybe have a cup of coffee, and then make breakfast. Ok, I understand breakfast should be “made” every day, but does splashing some soy milk in a bowl of cereal really count as making breakfast? I think it’s a stretch. So on the weekends when I get to take my time getting ready and fueling up for the day, I like to have something more than food that only requires assembly. And if you couldn’t tell from the pictures, these were enjoyed on a bright summer morning on the back porch with friends as payment for their help with gardening. Shoveling and weeding is so much easier with a hearty breakfast in the belly!

Don’t get me wrong, you can make these during the week. There’s no better way to perk up your week than waking up half an hour early and having pancakes. And these ones are a serious energy boost, both for your body and your attitude. Packed with fruit, nuts, and wholesome wheat, they’re much more than your regular pancake. And by folding in fluffed egg whites, they’re still the same soft and cushy pancakes that make pancakes so delightful. I really like the texture that the cornmeal and nuts give it, adding a little more depth and crunch. So go ahead, make the day a little more special and have some pancakes.

Thanks to Joy the Baker for the recipe. This is shared with Friday Potluck @ Ekats kitchen, Food on Fridays, Foodie Fridays, and The Breakfast Club hosted this month by Simply Food.

Whole Wheat Banana Nut Pancakes

Serves 6. Prep time: 20 minutes. Total time: about 40 minutes.

• 1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/3 cup cornmeal
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs, separated
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil, plus additional for brushing the skillet
• 1 1/2 cup milk, plus additional if needed
• 1 ripe banana, diced or mashed
• 1/4 cup nuts, chopped (almonds, walnuts or pecans are best)

Whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl . Whisk together yolks, oil and 1 1/2 cups of milk in another bowl and add to the flour mixture, whisking until smooth.  Let batter stand for 5 minutes to allow flour to absorb liquid (batter will thicken). If batter is too thick to fall easily from a spoon, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons additional milk. Then fold in the banana and nuts.

Beat the egg whites in a large bowl with an electric mixer at moderately high speed until they just hold stiff peaks.  With a whisk, gently but thoroughly fold into batter.

Brush a griddle or 12-inch nonstick skillet with oil and heat over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking.  Reduce heat to moderate.  Working in batches of 4, spoon 2 tablespoons batter per pancake into a hot skillet, spreading it if necessary to form 3- 3 1/2 inch rounds.  Cook pancakes until bubbles appear on surface, edges are set and undersides are golden, 45 seconds to 1 minute.  Flip pancakes with a metal spatula and cook until undersides are golden and pancakes are cooked through.  Lower heat if pancakes brown too quickly and insides aren’t set.  Transfer pancakes to plate and serve with syrup and berries warmed on the pancake skillet with a pinch of sugar.